Gazing at a fading rainbow
by Sky divider
Summary: Red, green, blue, pink, purple, yellow and pale blue...She knew these colors. She once shared a bond with them called friendship and just like an ephemeral rainbow, those colors faded away into the distance. So why not gaze at those dazzling colors one last time?
1. A quiet spring day

**Hello everyone! This is actually my first fanfic! Hope you'll enjoy reading it!**

**The fic is about the GoM's days at Teikō, I won't write on their high school days. The plot is slow paced and I'll follow the Teikō arc timeline. I apologise in advance to all Kuroko's and Kise's fans for their late introductions since the fic begins in their first year.**

**Sorry for the bad grammar and mistakes (english is not my native language). I'm doing my utmost to improve.**

**Disclaimer : I do not own Kuroko no basket. **

**Good reading everyone! Feel free to review!**

**(I'm currently revising some parts of the fic)**

* * *

The clatter of the piece of chalk against the blackboard set the pace in the quiet classroom, pacing the scratching noise of the student's writing. Some perked their head up to take notes while some whispers added some rhythm to this monotous daily melody every now and then. But the solemn tone of the teacher didn't allow those false notes inside his own classroom and put them down with silence. Only his voice was to brighten up that usual scenery, a simple class lesson. The teacher took a look at his watch and the clatter finally stopped.

"Remember this important lesson. That's all for today." Pointing the scribble on the board, he perfectly timed his announcement with the school bell that ensued and echoed through the entire compound, allowing the young students to regain their own pace again as the teacher took his leave.

Ritsu sighed in relief amidst the rasps of chairs being pulled, she got a bit weary by the morning lessons. As expected of Teikō middle school academic level, the lessons went by with a sustained pace making them hard to follow properly without real personal involment. Keeping focus for a whole morning was a difficult task, but there were no room for complain. She accepted her parents' first choice of school, not minding where she would have ended up as long as there was a volleyball club.

After organising her things under the desk, she grabbed her lunch pack wrapped in a night blue wrapping cloth and pulled her chair back. Time to go eat.

When she was about to stand, she gave way to two of her classmates who were scurrying to the boy seating just in front of her.

"Hey, Akashi! Wanna eat with us at the cafeteria?" The red haired boy lifted his head at the question, staying quiet before the enthusiasm of his classmates.

"Curry rice is today's special!" The other boy announced, already salivating at the idea."The curry rice here is rumored to be so freaking good! So, what do you say?"

So curry was the ultimate course of the school, found out Ritsu as she stood up and pulled her chair against the desk. Well, it only has been two weeks since the beginning of the term.

"Why not?" The redhead accepted the invitation, staring at his two classmates who nudged his shoulder at the positive response. "Go first, I'll join you soon after. I have something to do before."

Getting past the classroom door, she heard those two classmates agreeing in a shout at the calm boy's instruction and watched them as they stomped their way to the cafeteria kidding around loudly. Their good mood put a smile on her face.

Walking down on the hallway, groups of students loitered around here and there with their happy chatters blending into one another, creating the peaceful atmosphere within the school walls. And nothing could disrupt this peace except for minor details...

"Midorima-kun. You're a good and diligent boy, but why of all of my students are you actually the one who gives me the most trouble?"

A tall green-haired figure was likely scolded by his homeroom teacher before the front door of the classroom under giggles and amused stares of students passing by in the hallway.

"Tell me exactly, what this big bonsai is for?"

"This is my lucky item." responded the boy, reajusting his black frame glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

Ritsu was half-listening to the conversation, more troubled by the fact they were standing before the door when she just wanted to enter the room. With no other choice, she crossed past them and decided to use the second door that led to the back of the class.

The middle aged woman gave a sigh, looking at the bonsai in exasperation that her serious student was holding against him in his left arm. "And what did I tell you concerning this issue?"

On her track, the girl peeked through the window panes giving onto the class in search for the girl she met at the volleyball club the first week of school. She wanted to go have lunch with her but she wasn't inside.

"That you won't tolerate my bringing those items in class unless they are small and discreet."

"If you are aware, then why did you still bring something this big?" His teacher suddenly raised her voice before the troublesome boy who remained unfazed.

"I...didn't find a small bonsai."

While stepping into the class, she heard the middle-aged woman gasped and went on with her scolding. Ritsu looked around the room, even if her friend wasn't here, she might know her whereabouts by some of her classmates, and fortunately near her desk a group of girls was eating together.

"Tadaaaa~!" The cheerful exclaim came from near the last rows where a cute girl with mid-long pink hair was happily displaying her lunch to her navy blue-haired friend – unsually tanned for Tōkyō's climate – who was straddling the chair at the opposite of her and examined with a disgust look the lunch pack. "I prepared it this morning especially for you, Dai-chan! Your mom said you didn't eat enough vegetables. It's bad for your health!"

"Tch...mind her own business." grunted the boy and cringed when her little friend handed him out the chopsticks. "Say, Satsuki, did you taste it?"

To get to the bunch of girls, Ritsu walked past those two funny teenagers, curiously peering at the lunch in question. Her eyes widened at the undescribable sight. She never saw something this awful, everything was burned down, even those semblance of vegetables chopped clumsily seemed to have gone through Hell. That was some high level of bad cooking to reach such a result.

"No. I was so engrossed into it that I forgot." The girl vaguely shook her head side to side.

"Then do it now. I don't want to eat if you didn't even taste it beforehand. I might seriously die this time." said the boy, trying to save his own skin from an imminent death and made the girl yelp.

Ritsu stopped near the group of girl. They turned all their gaze to her as she was interrupting their girly talk about last night TV shows.

"Excuse-me, do you happen to know where Yagami is?"

"Yagami? She's on duty today. She was asked to fetch some reference materials for afternoon classes." told the classmate. "She must be in the reference room right now."

Ritsu bowed slightly in gratitude and resumed her track in search for Yagami.

"Look at your face. It tastes bad, right?" The pink haired girl tasted her own food provoking her face to contort in disgust, her eyes were completely shut and her lips formed almost a backward "u" as her tongue was stirred and turned dumb by the explosion of undefinable savours.

"Yerk...Even if it was a little burned, it thought it'd taste good...I followed the recipe."

"Are you blind? It's completely burned!" cried the tanned boy, putting away the hellish lunch.

The girl responded in a pout, averting her eyes from him.

"Anyway, let's go grab some food at the cafeteria. We can't possibly eat «that»."

There would probably be a lot of people at the cafeteria today, thought Ritsu to herself.

Stepping outside the classroom, a faint growl came out from her stomach. She was getting hungry, and thirsty as well. She took her lunch pack in both hands, staring dejectedly at it as she recalled she had forgotten to bring a drink with her after leaving home. A faint sigh breathed past her lips. Before finding Yagami, she decided to go buy two drinks, for the two of them.

On the staircase, distant whispers echoed faintly in the empty stairwell, becoming more and more distinct as their low-pitched voices drew closer.

"What did you eat to grow so damn tall, Murasakibara?"

"Hm...I don't know. I eat normally."

Climbing down, she crossed path with the two talking boys who were going up.

"Don't give me that. I always see you eat a lot."

"...It just happened. I only eat when I'm hungry. That's all." The boy took a cream pan out of the plastic bag hanging on his wrist and took a mouthful after removing the wrapping.

When Ritsu got past them, the difference in height surprised her. Up the staircase, she didn't pay attention to the abnormal height of the purple head. Compared to him, the boy walking by his side looked even more tiny due to his very small form.

"Why doesn't it have the same effect on me?" jested the boy alluring to his chubby build. "I eat less than you in a whole day and I still grow larger instead of longer!"

"Tdjhat'ch weirdch. Youch Bwetter gow tchou shee a doctchor..." commented the huge boy with his mouth full.

"You're the weir..."

Ritsu reached the first floor where a handle of people were lounging around. This part of the school, located at the opposite of the cafeteria, was usually deserted during lunch. Students who wandered around there at that time were those who had business in either the teacher lounge, the infirmary or the library. And inevitably rare were those whom truly concerned themselves with those facilities at lunch break. Everyone preferred to enjoy themselves under the spring weather instead of dealing with boring things. Just like those bunches of people in the courtyard, taking their lunch outside laughing with insouciance. Youth in all its splendor.

"Man, I'm starving! I didn't eat anything this morning!"

Two young boys went out of the library, letting their voice out as they were allowed to speak freely and loudly again.

"We should head back to the class and eat. I'm hungry too." Nodded calmly the teal-colored head, giving a smile to his friend.

"Yep, finally! By the way, I've never seen you so happy, Kuroko. I can almost see flowers floating around you." replied the other boy elbowing the smaller one in a friendly manner making the latter stagger a little. "Is that book so important?"

She turned her back on them, heading to the end of the corridor while the two boys were about to climb the staircase she previously took.

"It's a book I've read long time ago. It's been a while since I wanted to read it again but I never thought I would find it in the school library." explained the small boy holding happily the book he had longed for.

"Aha! Tell me more about it..."

Outside, she was welcomed by a cool breeze grazing her whole body that quivered in a chill. The remnant of winter still lingered faintly in the air of early spring stricking people with its cool touch before the warm air turned this touch into a soft one.

Walking under the sun to warm herself, she caught sight of a boy and girl selecting drinks on a vending machine.

"Is that true you're going to be a model, Kise-kun?" asked the girl with a clap of hands, wriggling besides a shiny blond boy who pressed his drink selection button.

"Yeah, my sis introduced me to a model agency!" He bent down and slipped his hand through the machine slit and seized the mineral water bottle inside. "Since I'm not in any club, I thought of giving it a try."

"I knew it!" Seeing his radiant smile, the girl enthused loud at the news. "But just a try?"

The two of them moved away from the vending machine as Ritsu was just at few meters from them, overhearing all the details of their conversation.

"Hmmm. I want to join a club but I don't know which. So for the time being, I'll go for modeling until one picks my interest!" admitted the boy in a cheerful tone.

"Heh...It'd be a waste with your pretty face. I'm sure you'd be very popular if you involve yourself more into modeling!"

"Really?" The boy suddenly pumped up and grinned back to the girl whose cheeks turned red. "Then maybe I'll stick to it!"

Their silhouettes disappeared into the main building as a last giggle reached her ears.

All alone in front of the vending machine, she looked up at blue sky. A quiet spring day.

"Hey Asaka, what are you doing here?"

"Ah, Yagami, I was looking for you. Want to eat together?" Ritsu lowered her eyes that fell on a familiar girl.

Yagami Kimiko, a volleyball lover and her partner since their first day at the club.

_...And also a friend she will come to let down. _


	2. Daybreak

"We'll have a practice match against Okuse middle school at the end of week." said a red-haired boy in a neutral tone.

"Did you hear it from coach Sanada?" asked the green haired boy with glasses walking next to him.

The red-haired boy replied with a simple nod, "We better be prepared."

"Why? Okuse doesn't seem to be a strong opponent, as I heard from the seniors."

"Well, it's good that you're confident in your skills but from his briefing, he wants all the first year to play. It's only been a month since we joined the team, so underestimating an experienced team is nothing but a foolish move."

The green-haired boy slightly frowned at his comrade's statement, "Isn't it _us_ you're underestimating?"

A smile tug the lips of the redhead, "I'm just being cautious. That's all."

The two of them walked silently in the corridor until the silence was broken by the sound of a piano. Both of them continued to walk listening to the music and stopped in front of the music room. From the little window on the door, they saw the silhouette of a girl with ash-blond hair playing at the piano. Without moving a inch, they kept listening to her playing, momentarily captivated by the music.

Then she stopped abruptly, letting out a loud noise as she pressed down all her fingers on the keyboard which startled them.

"Ah, Akashi-kun. Midorima-kun, I was looking for you! I have to pass a message from the coach on to... Huh? What are you guys doing, peeping in a room like that?"

Their attention turned to the girl who was one of the managers of the basketball club.

"Nothing."

Curious, the girl peeked inside the room and smiled as she recognized the person inside, "Isn't it Asaka? I saw her several times playing piano there during breaks."

"You know her?" asked Midorima out of curiosity.

"Only by name, you know rumours and stuff. Seems like her parents are renowned in the classical world, and her talent for piano is what makes her reknown around school at the beginning of the term." explained their manager, then she tilted her head to the side in a meditative way, "Now, it's become kind of ordinary to hear her play at school once in a while. Aside her talent for piano, there's not a lot to say about her. She's a quiet girl and doesn't stand out much."

The three teenagers observed the piano girl who took up her playing. Yet, an perceptive agressivity flowed in her music. Something was upsetting the ash-blondhead.

"Oh!" cried their manager out loud, "almost forgot to mention that she's also on the volleyball club. That's why she's a bit known around school. Piano and volleyball make a strange combo."

"Volleyball?" repeated the boy, thinking he had misheard her.

"Yeah, volleyball."

"If she's good at piano, why doesn't she join the school's orchestra?"

Midorima didn't mean anything ill when he said that. For him, it was just plain obvious to join a club depending on one's forte.

"Who knows?" The girl shrugged her shoulders, " But I talked a bit with the volleyball manager not long ago and she told me that Asaka isn't at her first experience in volleyball. She's quite good at it."

Midorima asked nothing further and glanced at Akashi who was half-listening while observing the girl play. Then seeing the conversation was over, latter broke his silence and turned his attention back to their manager, "Misono-san, didn't you have something to tell us?"

"Oh!" She shouted when she realised she almost forgot her purpose, "That's right! Coach Sanada and Nijimura-san said to bring all the first year of the first string to the gym. Apparently that as to do with the next practice match, so here I am!"

"Let's go then."

Without wasting time, the three teenagers were heading to the gym.

* * *

In middle of history class, Asaka Ritsu was getting lifeless. This morning, she completely forgot to bring her lunch, and as if she had yet reached the bottom, she also forgot her wallet at home.

Having eaten nothing since morning, she could hardly find the strength to concentrate on the current lesson. At lunch break, she had tried putting out of her mind this growing hunger by playing piano, but she didn't even manage to play a correct note at the piano because of her empty stomach. How weak-willed can she be. It had upsetted her and the next minute she resigned to her fate. So right now, she just wished the afternoon classes wrapped up quickly.

However, her day had yet to end after that, since she was in the volleyball club. She had to go to practice, and there's no way she would skip it for such a stupid reason. Besides, she really couldn't afford to skip. After a month, her coach decided to put her under a trial period with one of the team regular as her mentor for a week. It was her chance to get into the team. So she had no other choice.

Ritsu heaved a long sigh, wondering how far she would fare in that state. At this rate, she would fail. All because of a slip of mind.

What an awful day.

"-aka-san. Can you please give us the answer?"

She tired herself out from all the thinking. For now she had...

"Seat number 17, Asaka Ritsu!"

... to focus on the history lesson.

"Y-Yes?" She leaped from her chair, and her eyes met her homeroom teacher's death glare.

The middle-aged woman was about to say something but got interrupted by a loud growling. A silent ensued as Ritsu flushed out of embarrassment. That was completely, utterly embarassing! All eyes were upon her. Even her fuming teacher was out of speech. Some of her classmates gawked at her with big eyes, others tried to suppress their sudden fit of laughs.

"W-Well, Asaka," The woman cleared her throat, "I let you off the hook this time, but this is the first time I catch you not listening in my class, you hear?" Then she took the lesson up to where she left it and called out another student. "Himeno, read the... "

It was a close call. But what a embarrassing experience! At this moment, she crossed her fingers and prayed that she would go through this day with dignity.

* * *

The last chime of the day finally echoed through the school. As everyone began to slowly leave the classroom, she rubbed her empty stomach and sighed. The captain of the volleyball club and her mentor would probably laughed at her if they happened to know about her misforutne and it especially meant more troubles for her. She had to get a hold of herself!

While she was getting ready, someone put a chocolate bar on her desk. Automatically she looked up to her mysterious saviour. Her gray-blue eyes faintly widened as she realised that it was the boy who was sitting in front of her in class.

"You can have it."

"...Why?" She gave him an enquiring look.

The young boy cocked an eyebrow, certainly expecting a simple thanks instead of a question.

"You have club activities after, right? You should pay more attention to your health if you do sports."

She didn't get to say a word as he walked off the classroom. She raised an eyebrow wondering if she should take it as a simple piece of advice or an act of kindness.

"Asaka, you lucky girl! To receive something from Akashi-kun, I'm so envious!"

One of her classmate who witnessed the whole thing came close to her.

"You think?"

"What? Don't tell me you're not happy."

"I am. But of all people, he's the last person who would have come to my mind."

"He probably felt pity for you when he heard your stomach growling. That was hilarous!" Except for her. She wanted to forget it. "He might even had heard more from you given that your seat is just behind him, and that's why he took you on pity. "

"That's pretty lame." Ritsu said in a defeated tone.

"But he did give you a chocolate bar anyway. He's so niiice! Maybe I should let myself starving." Her classmate declared enviously, the idea growing in her.

"You better not."

The girl giggled innocently at Ritsu's serious reply.

"Sorry but I have to go."

She took the chocolate bar in her hand and stood up from her seat.

"You're gonna eat it?" asked the girl.

"Yes. Isn't it why he gave it to me?"

"Y-yeah...Well, have fun." Her classmate was kind of surprised by her clueless answer, considering she had just receveid something from one of the popular guy of the class.

Outside the main building, Ritsu unwrapped the chocolate bar and took a bite. She didn't exactly know what have driven a boy like Akashi to do that. Nonetheless, out of kindness or not, he simply made her day.


	3. Crossed path

Yesterday ended in a positive note. Even though she was still a bit hungry after eating the chocolate bar, she had enough strength to practice without much trouble. Thanks to Akashi.

By the way, she didn't even get to thank him.

In front of a vending machine, she wondered if she should get him a drink to thank him for yesterday, though she didn't have a single clue of what he liked. She glanced over the selection of drinks, hesitating between a sportsdrink and a soda.

By the time she would decide on a drink, two colored haired boys drew her attention as she heard their footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. At their sight, she greeted them with a polite smile.

"Akashi-san, you've come along at just the right time!"

"Hello Asaka-san." The redhead greeted her back.

"What, you knew about her?" asked in a surprised tone the boy with glasses who was holding a broom.

"We're in the same class."

Asaka nodded and introduced herself to the other boy. "I'm Asaka Ritsu. Nice to meet you."

"Midorima. Midorima Shintarō."

"So you're «that» Midorima?" She tilted her head in curiosity.

"You heard about me?"

"Who didn't? Akashi-san and you are two of those weirdos who immediately get to the first string of the basketball club after being tested. I heard from other students that it was nearly impossible to get into it for freshmen."

"«Weirdo?»" he repeated in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Sorry. I didn't mean anything bad but you guys must be truly amazing to achieve such a thing."

Midorima pushed his glasses without saying anything back. Despite his pretty face, he bored a very serious expression that would hardly let reveal a smile. His green eyes, covered by his glasses, were fixed on her, looking directly in her eyes during the whole time. Usually one would at a moment averted their eyes, but he was different. He kept looking straight at her. Ritsu were quite surprised by it considering she was only talking to someone her age but she recognized those eyes : there were confident ones. She often saw that confidence in older people but it was actually the first time she felt it from a young one. At that thought, she took a peek at Akashi and asked herself if the two remaining first year members of the first string were, somewhat, of the same kind.

"So do you need something from me?"

"Yes, nothing important. I was thinking about buying you a drink as a thanks for yesterday."

"You don't need to."

That was a fast reply.

"I insist."

"There is really no reason to thank me."

"But I have one."

"Which is?"

"You gave me a chocolate bar. Therefore it's only common sense that I should get something for you in return."

"A simple thanks is enough."

"It doesn't seem enough."

"It is for me."

"You don't need to hold back. It's just a drink, you know."

"You're really stubborn."

"I could say the same as you keep refusing."

"It's getting nowhere." grumbled Midorima, putting an end to their pointless conversation, "Asaka, just buy him whatever drink you want and he'll have no choice but to accept it anyway!"

Ritsu chuckled at Midorima's impatience. She just played along with Akashi.

"It won't have the same meaning if I force him to accept." She said it only to watch the green-haired boy lose his temper.

Midorima mumbled something she couldn't catch. However serious he looked, he had in fact a cute side. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what, until her eyes came upon the broom he was holding in his left hand.

"Say, Midorima-san."

"What?"

"What are you doing with a...broom?"

He briefly looked at her. "It's my lucky item."

She was out of speech for a minute. It was so unexpected that she could laugh it off but his face was dead serious.

"Don't you get scold by the teachers for bringing such things at school?"

"...That's none of your concern." He cleared his throat to hide his embarrassement. "Tell me, what's your zodiac sign?"

"Aries."

She answered without really knowing where he was getting at. The green haired boy stayed silent, lost in his thought. As the silence became heavier, she gave Akashi an inquiring look but he vaguely shook his head.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"...No. But I have to tell you our signs are not compatible. Cancer and Aries are no good together."

So that's what he was getting at. He genuinely believed in those kind of thing, he wasn't even embarrassed about it.

"That means you don't want to deal with me any further in the future?"

"If fate decides otherwise, no. If not, yes."

"That's pretty harsh." she gave a faint smile, "Well, let's hope Lady Luck is on my side. It'd be a pity to stop only at self-introduction. Don't you agree, Akashi-san?"

"That may be right." he said in a amused tone.

Midorima looked away and remained silent afterward.

It was probably time for her to take her leave. She took a coin from her purse, inserted it in the vending machine and pressed her selection. She grabbed the bottle that fell at the bottom and handed it to Akashi.

"It's my treat. Pocari water will do, right?"

As he took it, she smiled. Like their stupid conversation earlier had never been.

"You two have other things to do, I suppose. Then I'd better go. See you later in class, Akashi-san and it was nice meeting you, Midorima-san."

Both of them watched her disappeared into the building.

"She's a funny girl."

The one who said it was Akashi which in a way surprised Midorima.

"Weren't you making fun of her a moment ago? When you kept refusing her treat."

"I wouldn't put it that way. You make me sound like a bad guy. But I won't deny her concern was unnecessary."

"Then you could just have said so right away."

He glanced at him from the corner of his eyes and answered in a calm tone.

"I did."

"You didn't."

"She didn't back down."

"Are you trying to find excuse?"

"Did it sound like I am?"

"So you are."

"I'm not."

"Just admit it."

Akashi smirked as his teammate retorted to each of his words.

"See?"

When Akashi dropped his act, Midorima came to realize his point. Their conversation made no sense at all and that was what he aimed for.

"...She didn't back down."

"I'm glad you understood my point." His lips revealed a faint smile. "For my defence, if I was making fun of her, she'd be the same."

"What makes you think that way?"

"From the beginning she intended to buy the drink whether I accept it or not. And she did."

"So your pointless conversation..."

"...were her and my chatting."

«Chatting». Midorima thought to himself, it was nonsense. In what way was "this" called chatting? Sometimes Midorima just didn't get what the boy next to him was thinking, that fact always pissed him off.

Not wanting to talk about this matter any further, he changed the subject.

"So what happened with her yesterday anyway?"

"She planned to go to her volleyball practice with an empty stomach. So I gave her a chocolate bar."

It was so unexpected as he could hardly imagine at this instant Akashi being the gentleman.

"You... gave her something...?"

"What, was I not allowed to?"

"No, but I can't imagine you being nice to someone you hardly know."

Akashi smirked as he took a sip of the pocari water.

"I'm human you know."

Midorima intended to say something but he held back. Currently, little he knew about his teammate, but he was sure of one thing it probably wasn't purely out of kindness. Simply because Akashi was Akashi.


	4. Fortunate green

_Here's the new chapter!_

_I continue with characters's introduction for one more chapter._

_Have fun reading!_

* * *

Ritsu stretched her sore back while she was walking on the street. Her trial period had come to an end one week ago and as expected she became a regular along two others girls. That was quite the achievement for her to be able to wear the Teikō jersey so quickly but she didn't have a single time to celebrate.

Since her entry in the volleyball club, she often helped the seniors to practice like other freshmen and had barely the chance to practice for real which kind of turn her off at the beginning. Nevertheless she kept practicing until she was finally noticed by the captain and the coach.

Now could she stand on court in the near future and fight for the sake of victory, but more importantly she was part of a team. Practice was hell, nonetheless she liked playing with her new teammates. Sweating, laughting, suffering, helping each other, arguing that was what made whole a team.

She smiled at her naivety but well, better be now than never.

Before heading home, she stopped at a paper shop, in need of a new notebook and an eraser.

Done with her shopping, she decided to go home to practice piano. That was the agreement with her parents, they let her do what she wanted as long as she kept at playing piano at least two hours per day.

As she left the shop, she saw a familiar face coming out of the building next to the paper shop. Midorima noticed her and didn't care to hide his discontentement.

"Fancy meeting you here."

The annoyed boy glared at her having the feeling he had been played by fate. It has been two weeks since their first meeting, certain he would never talk to her again but...

"...Fate has decided otherwise." Ritsu grinned, enjoying their fated meeting.

"It's just a stroke of luck. Today Aries rank first in Oha-asa horoscope."

"How lucky."

"Humpf, it's not like we have something in common. In fact I don't even know why you're so eager to talk to me."

Midorima sure was a stubborn boy.

"No particular reason."

"Then if just curiosity, you'd better stop talking to me. Nothing good will happen. I already told you our signs are not compatible. "

"Curiosity or not, our sign compatibility has nothing to do with it. I do think we can get along though. Aries and Cancer compatibility might be low but it's not down to zero. Don't tell me you're trying to avoid every Aries you encounter?"

"You really don't listen to a thing I say, do you? That's why we can't have a proper conversation. Aries are so..." Midorima narrowed his eyes as he pushed his glasses eyeing the girl who intended to change his habit.

"I think the problem comes from your personality and not our sign compatibility, Midorima-san. You're the one making things difficult." She remarked bluntly.

She expected him to get angry at her instead the boy sighed and asked out of the blue.

"You didn't follow me, did you?" he asked in a grave tone.

"I don't have that much free time." She had nothing to hide from him but despite his calm she could tell from Midorima's question that he was bothered by something. "Did you think I would go against fate and forced our meeting? That's too much of a hassle."

"I agree. At least you're not obstinate."

Without saying anything more, Midorima started to walk leaving her behind.

"We're going."

Seeing she didn't follow him, he was waiting for her to come along. Surprised by his attention, Ritsu didn't move a inch as she had already thought of given up on his case for the day.

"Going where?"

"To look for my lucky item."

That was Midorima for you, a horoscope freak. Ritsu wondered how the basketball club dealt with him. He gave off the vibe of a serious and confident guy but that personality of his was very particular in a sense. His obsession for horoscope and fate was very weird but well who was she to actually judge him.

"Isn't it a bit late to look for it? It's almost the end of the day." She lifted her nose up to the evening sky. "And I have to go home."

Midorima raised an eyebrow, his glasses completely hidding his green eyes.

"You...I take the trouble of suggesting to tag along and you turn me down. Isn't it you who wanted to do some chit-chat?! This is why I can't get along with Aries."

As she expected, he flew off the handle. His reaction was really amusing but she felt a little guilty to make fun of his feeling as he seriously tried to consider a friendship with her.

"It was only a joke, Midorima-san. There's no way I wouldn't come. Take it easy."

"I'm going."

He turned back angrily and pressed his footsteps. This time Ritsu followed him laughing at his annoyed attitude.

Thus, their strange relationship began with the search of Midorima's lucky item.

* * *

Across the street where the two of them were walking, a boy and a girl were kind of in the same situation.

"Dai-chan! Wait for me!" shouted a pink-haired girl, running toward a tanned boy with dark blue hair.

"You're too slow, Satsuki."

"Don't give me that! You just left me alone in that shop! Even though you said you would go with me to buy supplies for the basketball club!"

"Eh? I did? When?" The dark blue haired boy asked ignorant.

"During lunch!"

"Oh yeah." At that time he was playing basketball with one of his classmate, so he didn't exactly remembered what she told him but he agreed to it without really listening to her as he was too concentrated playing his favorite sport. "That's what you wanted me to do."

She sighed as she realised she had been ignored at that time and mumbled : "...It's always like that. Even if I'm your childhood friend, basketball always comes first. You could at least be nice to me..."

"Huh? You say something?"

"Nothing!" The pink haired girl pressed her steps and walked in front of him pouting openly. "You don't how to treat a girl!"

"Why should I treat you like one? You're just Satsuki."

She pouted even more at his lack of delicacy. The dark haired boy rolled his eyes then his gaze lowered at the opposite street and caught sight of a familiar green-haired boy walking with a girl. He froze in place while her childhood friend stopped as well and curiously followed his gaze.

"Isn't it Midorima-kun over there?"

"Yeah and he's with a girl."

Both of them momentarily stayed silent, shocked by that ridiculous sight. The Midorima they knew was a total weirdo who wasn't the kind of guy that would leisurely spend time with a girl after school.

"Do you think—"

"No way...That's Midorima we're talking about!" He didn't let her childhood friend finished what she wanted to say. The girl forced a smile, she couldn't deny it too.

Seeing Midorima and the girl stepped inside a shop, an idea popped suddenly in their head, they both stared at each other, probably thinking the same : They wanted to spy on them.

However a few seconds later, they both came to realise how bad that idea was.

"N-No, we shouldn't."

"Y-Yeah, what if we see something we don't want to? Like him being sweet to that girl or other strange things..."

"It'd be impossible to look at him in the eyes..."

The silence took place between them but the tanned boy broke it off and shouted as he put his hands on his head: "I need to play basketball!"

Afterwards, he played till night and completely forgot what he saw until the next day.

* * *

_Guess who's going to appear next?_

_Thanks you all for reading and following my story!_


	5. Passionnate blue

The sun was at his highest point, the sky was clear blue and people voice echoed happily around school. A perfect spring day.

After eating her lunch, Ristu decided to take a walk around school since the weather was getting warmer each day.

Habitually she stayed in her classroom chatting with other girls or she went to the music room to be alone. She lead a quiet school life, ponctuated by funny moments just like yesterday when she encountered Midorima Shintarō on her way home.

Remembering this moment she couldn't help but laughting inwardly. Midorima was a little difficult to deal with at first because of his sensitivity, making him rather easy to tease, and he had a sharp-tongue which could either annoy, intimidate or make cry the other party. Patience was needed but it worth the effort. He was a nice guy deep down.

Yesterday, they had went to several shops before finding his precious lucky item. She had thought their time together was up and they would go on separate ways but since it was already dark he awkwardly suggested to escort her to the train station by explaining her how dangerous it was for a girl to wander alone at night and that she ought to be careful in the future. And that's how their day ended.

Ritsu enjoyed her quiet life, leisurely observing her surrounding and yet sometimes being part of the scenery she would usually gaze at wasn't a bad feeling. Maybe that was curiously one of the reason, she played a teamsport like volleyball. She gave a faint smile as she laughed at herself for being such a sentimental girl at times.

But it was spring.

And generally spring meant love, as she walked carefreely outside, she sighted two students under a tree, a shiny blond boy and a small girl facing each other. From what it looked like, that was a confession scene. Not wanting to peep on other people business, she continued to walk as a faint gasp made her stop.

"That's spring for you. Being a model sure makes it easy..." muttered the voice.

A tanned boy with dark blue hair was leaning on a window with his right hand resting on his cheek watching nonchalantly at the two teenagers under the tree. Noticing her presence, she read suprise on his face for a second then he began talking to her.

"You're the mysterious girl from yesterday!" He exclaimed with a grin.

"Mysterious? Have we meet somewhere?" She raised cluelessly an eyebrow. If she remembered correctly it was actually the first time they met.

"You were doing shopping with Midorima."

At the mention of Midorima's name, she slightly inclined her head to the side and asked : "You happen to know him?"

"We're in the same class and I'm in the basketball club too."

"Oh, I see." she plainly replied, "So you're also in the basketball club."

"Yup. By the way I'm Aomine."

Aomine Daiki. There's no way she didn't hear about him since the basketball club was a hot topic at school. He was one of the four first-year along Akashi and Midorima who directly managed his way to first string in the basketball club.

She was a bit stunned by his outward appearance, unlike the other two she knew, he was a kind of different. His juvenile feature was accentuated by his big and wide open blue eyes filled with dreams and passion. A playful aura was emanating from him making him someone really easy to approach.

It was actually refreshing to have around a boy like him. She used to think that the first string members in the basketball club were a bunch of cold monsters given how powerful the club were. Her opinion of them had been shaped by rumours but also indirectly by Akashi, being in the same class and seating behind him she had all the time in the world to watch him. That guy was a real mystery, scary in a way for a minority and admired by many given his perfection. The way he spoke, his manner and overall attitude was very formal, never letting his guard down and treating equally everyone.

"Asaka Ritsu. Nice to meet you."

"Asaka? You're in the volleyball club, right?"

"I wasn't aware I was known for being in the volleyball club." She said in disbelief, not that it was unsual to be popular because of her family and her piano skill but rare were those who heard about her for being volleyball club member.

"You're kidding! You became a regular one week ago! I heard it from my classmate, what's her name again?" He paused a second, tilting his head and scratching his chin as he tried to remember. "Oh, it's Yagami, she's the same as you. I heard her talking about it."

Yagami Kimiko was a hard-working girl who got to the join the team after the trial period along her.

"You're awesome!"

"Aomine-san is even more awesome, being able to play as a starter of such powerhouse."

His eyes starred vacantly at her, his mouth shut.

"I just happen to have the required skills. And honestly I don't even care about those things as long as I can play basketball!...But well, being in the first string sure has its own advantages..."

His spontaneity made her smile. He spoke as he thought, without bothering to look stupid or not. He was a bright boy, almost dazzling to her. The way he spoke about basketball showed he loved it a lot. His blue eyes burned strongly with passion that it almost seemed unthinkable that this light would ever come to fade away overtime. As one looked at him, they coudn't do anything but admired him blinded by his light and being drawn by his burning passion. Ritsu was no exception. From what she heard his style was so atypical that he could give hard time even to confirmed players. One day she would like to see him play.

"Don't you find it exciting?"

"You bet." She nodded at the boy who happily grinned at her answer.

"Oh and I thought you weren't the type to like challenge!"

"Isn't it normal to feel competitive in sport?"

Aomine burst out of laugh because of her naive question.

"Look at your face! You're way too calm! Oh, maybe that's why you get along with that freak! That Midorima guy doesn't seem to like carefree girl."

"«Get along» is not exactly the term I would use, it's more like «struggle»."

"Oh! As expected of his friend!" He shouted like he totally understood her.

Ritsu was startled being considered Midorima's friend but Aomine did say he saw them together yesterday.

"Midorima-san and I? Never. We're not on such regular basis. Yesterday we were just looking for his lucky item."

"No kidding! You went along him knowing that he's a horoscope maniac?!"

"I had a fun time."

Aomine had a nervous laugh wondering who between that quiet girl or his teammate was the weirdest.

"Asaka you're a weird girl."

"But less than someone we know."

"'Couldn't say better. The way he speaks is damn annoying! And what the hell is that strange speech?"

"I wouldn't go that far but yes, sometimes it's quite painful to deal with him."

They both laughed on how there were on the wavelength right now.

"Aries and Cancer are not compatible. Do not talk to me again." Going with the flow, she imitated Midorima's voice and manner by pushing invisible glasses with her middle finger. Aomine couldn't stop laughing as it was just like him.

"Asaka, you're full of yourself today. Who were you trying to imitate now?"

"Dai-chan! Why did you run away when I said I prepared you lunch?"

A pretty girl with mid light pink hair, hands on her waist and an irritated Midorima was standing by the door of the empty class where Aomine was resting.

"I run for my life, idiot!"

"How mean!"

As they took a step in, the young boy instinctively stood up from his chair, his reaction was so abrupt that the chair fell on the floor, and he jumped over the window waving at Ritsu while he fled like a thief.

"Ah!" The girl leaned over the window edge, watching helplessly the fast running boy. "He run away...AGAIN!"

Tired from all the running, she let out a deep sigh and collapsed on the window, her eyes dropped on the desk next to her where she saw a plastic bag full of snacks and a banana milk drink.

"And to say that I woke up earlier to make it." Her innocent pout showed affection for him.

"You're too soft on him, Momoi."

"Midorima-kun, did you already eat?"

His body stiffened suddenly at her question.

"I-I did."

At his shy reply, she tilted her head, a finger on her cheek, she also had have lunch, the problem was what would she do with her lunch box she prepared with love this morning. Suddenly her idea came to her mind when her eyes stopped on Ritsu.

"Here, I give you this. Dai-chan won't eat anyway." The girl handed a lunch box wrapped in a cute pink cloth with sakura flower on it. She was about to refuse but Midorima was faster as he gently lowered her hand.

"Keep it. By the end of day, Aomine will probably get hungry. You should just left it on his desk."

At his suggestion the girl's face brightened and approved of it. She took the plastic bag with her and both of them were about to left the empty class then all of the sudden the light pink haired girl turned back and waved at her. "Let's talk another time, Asaka-san! Midorima-kun told me about you! Ah, I'm the manager of the basketball club, Momoi Satsuki! Don't forget it!"

"Don't say unnecessary things!" The boy yelled shyly at Momoi.

"See you soon!"

The girl cheerfully left the classroom, followed by Midorima who glanced at her over his shoulder, "You're lucky I was here, Asaka. You should be grateful." That being said he left the class.

Alone, Ritsu was stunned by all the sudden fuss. The basketball club, in spite of his austere reputation, was quite lively. She never doubted the fact they were having fun like any other school clubs, but their nationwide renowned must have kept them under pressure and forced to undergo a thorough training, forgetting how to enjoy their hardship and aiming only for victory. In fact her opinion would still be the same if she hadn't met them.

However gathering together a mysterious Akashi, an ever serious Midorima, a passionnate Aomine and a cheeful Momoi, club activities were bound to be fun or so she thought to herself, maybe she was wrong but that silly thought just wouldn't come off her mind.


	6. Mysterious Red

"Akashi, Asaka, you're on duty today right?"

In the midst of loud rasps of chairs being pulled, sighs of relief and goodbye, both of them perked their head up to their teacher who stood at the front desk.

"Could you please take those books to the reference room? I have a meeting I need to attend now. Ah, don't forget to bring the class journal to the teacher lounge later. I'm counting on you."

His instructions given, their teacher took his leave. Wasting no time, they stood up and went to the front desk discussing on how they were going to share the books out or so it seemed.

Actually, as Akashi suggested, a single person was enough to bring all the books to the reference room as there were only ten of them while the other would go the teacher lounge. It was the most efficient way to finish this task quickly and go their respective club activities as she agreed.

But she soon reconsidered when she looked at both Akashi and the pile of books. Those were thick, plus given Akashi's stature, she couldn't help but being slightly sceptical about his strength.

"You're having doubt about me." The boy noticed her brief hesitation, which startled her who thought it wasn't shown on her face.

A bit curious of the awkward situation, the remaining students were gawking at them like they were watching some drama.

"Ah, I meant nothing rude. But as a matter of fact, it seems too much for a single person..."

"So you're trying to say I can't carry those books by myself."

Akashi didn't sound angry at all, either he was or not wasn't the problem in that very moment. With him staring her down with his deep red eyes, Ritsu somehow felt pushed to state her mind.

"D-Don't make me say that."

"I won't bite. But well, if you're doubting me, then we should probably go together. That way, you'll have no reason to think so in the future." He clarified while she was left speechless.

He was clearly teaching her a lesson.

During the time she spaced out, Akashi took all the books with him like it weighted nothing in his arms and left the classroom while leaving her to take only the class journal before she followed him.

"You must be angry at me."

"There's no reason for me to be. I simply dislike being underestimated. Nonetheless I can't blame you for thinking that way, it is a natural reaction to have doubt over somebody we aren't familiar with."

She glanced at Akashi's profile, even if she was taller than him by a few centimeters, his presence was way much stronger than she would ever be in her whole life.

"Then did you ever have doubt over someone?"

They looked at each other without saying anything, only their footsteps resonated faintly in the empty corridor. Maybe her question was rude as he didn't answer, but he gave her faint smile.

"So far I've never met someone who failed to meet my expectation."

Some would said it was arrogant and overconfident from him but put in a more postive way, it was more like...

"You totally trust and respect those around you, aren't you Akashi-san?"

It was the first time she read a faint surprise on his face that lasted only a second before he smiled at her.

"You're a smart one."

School matters aside, this was their first real discussion together alone. Contrary to her first impression of him, she found him quite easy to approach, though she couldn't talk to him the same way she would with Aomine or Midorima, she enjoyed their time together.

"Oh, Akashi's playing the gentleman! You two look pretty cute together."

A tall girl with a masculine hairstyle spotted them as she closed the door behind her and walked up to them.

"We're simply on duty, Hoshino-senpai."

Hoshino Wakana was a third year and her senpai in the volleyball club. It was her who was appointed to be her mentor during the trial period two weeks ago.

"You're such a killjoy, Ritsu! Look, Akashi is caring all the books by himself, doesn't that make you feel anything?"

"No, not really..." She couldn't say to her senpai that she was only with him because she had been caught doubting him."But I'm thankful to him."

Hoshino came closer to her and without warning she pinched both her cheeks. "You really have some nerves! Hey, Akashi, don't tell me you don't feel anything being alone with a pretty girl?"

He, who stayed quielty in the background, was now dragged in their girl conversation.

"I'd be lying if I say I didn't."

Simple and clear, his answer delighted the forceful senpai who showed a big grin on her face.

"As expected of Akashi! You know how to enjoy your youth!" Hoshino declared as she sticked out her chest proudly hands on her waist. "You still have a long way, Ritsu, before becoming an amazing girl like me! With my teaching you will be both successful in volleyball and... ", She whispered happily in her ear, "...l-o-v-e!"

Ritsu didn't deny the amazing part, she admired her for being a fiery player, but the last part totally threw her off. Maybe being in her third year made her nostalgic of her past school life and regretted some of its aspect.

"...That's unnecessay concern, senpai. To me at least. Don't worry you'll find someone before your graduation."

"Oh, Ritsu! You catch on quick!" Hoshino was moved by her kōhai showing concern for her and ruffled her hair. "Well, I won't waste your time any longer. Those books must be really heavy. I tell the others at the club, you'll be a bit late. See you later! And don't forget to give me ALL the details later."

She waved happily at them and disappeared at a corner. Ritsu gave a sigh, Hoshino was such a boisterous girl that sometimes it was troublesome to have a serious conversation with her. During her trial period, she really had a hard time to ask for advice as she talked nonsense most of the time.

"The volleyball club seems like a lively one."

"Hoshino-senpai and the captain are exceptions, the other members are more or less ordinary." She chuckled at Akashi's remark. "But without one or two oddballs in a club, it would be rather boring."

Akashi nodded with a faint smile on his lips. Now she took a closer look at him, he was kind of charming when he smiled. She understood why other girls would fantasized about him.

Usually he bored a poker face when adressing to other, what's more his formal speech didn't help him at making friends. But his smile had something appealing. In fact, a simple smile made him rather ordinary, just like any teenager instead of an adult-like boy.

In his own way he was the same kind as Midorima, a weirdo.

"Asaka-san you keep staring at me."

"Oh." Nothing followed, she just dropped her eyes and kept walking as nothing.

"To you, I'm also one of the oddballs you're talking about."

"Bullseye." There was no point in denying when the one she were talking to was Akashi. He would have find a way to make her spit it out anyway. She just experienced it a while ago when she felt his pressure to make her admit she was sceptical over him.

"You don't try to deny it."

"You wouldn't have liked the idea of my pointlessly lying to you. You prefer when things are concise."

In front of the reference room, she opened the door to Akashi and let him go inside first. But as he walked past her, she was taken aback by his words : "This is accurate, as expected of someone who keeps me underwatch."

He knew she had been watching him from afar.

"Y-You're exagerrating, Akashi-san." She stuttered. "And I thought you didn't mind being stared at."

"I do." He replied casually glancing at her who lost a bit of her composure. "But that doesn't mean I don't notice."

Ritsu let out a deep sigh, she had the impression she had just lost to him the second she reacted to his words. Besides it's not like she was holding a grudge against him or stalking him, but the way he put it made her think like she was. She met Akashi's red eyes and couldn't help but sighing again. She had been made fun of.

"That's just observing. There's no real meaning."

"I know. I'm not the only one you're observing, more accurately it's almost everyone." With a plain expression, he dropped the books on a table, grabbed one and looked for its corresponding shelf. "I often happen to see you looking at our classmates or other students when you're alone. You're an observant girl."

"Well, everyone tend to look at everybody. Either me or you, we're all the same. It's not like I'm observant in any way whatsoever."

When she handed him a book, she quivered, having Akashi's eyes on her. It was only for a couple of seconds but they seemed to last forever.

He took the book in his hand and put it on the shelf."...You shouldn't belittle yourself."

She didn't follow. When was she belittling herself? Of course she didn't have Midorima's confidence but she wasn't either underestimating herself, she was right in the middle as any ordinary boy or girl.

"What do you mean?"

"That's a simple piece of advice."

She didn't understand anymore. The moment she thought she had understood a part of him, he had already slipped away from her grasp.

"...A piece of advice, huh? I don't get it. Is he making fun of me?" She muttered to herself but Akashi heard her.

"I'm not. I wouldn't dare doing such a thing."

"Then..."

"Asaka-san. Why do you take it so seriously?" He interrupted her before she could ask anything.

He had a point, like he said that was just some piece of advice, there was probably no meaning to it...if it were to be someone else who had express it.

However it was from Akashi, she was fully aware when she happened to observe him that he never told unnecessary things unless it was on purpose.

"I don't even know myself but coming from you it surely has a meaning. Besides you assure me this is no joke, so maybe your words kind of pick my curiosity."

Akashi didn't bother to reply, though she read satisfaction on his face.

Ritsu was tired to understand the boy's mind. She knew it from the very first time she had laid her eyes on him and today only confirmed her assumption of him. Trying to talk to him or to observe him to grasp a tiny part of his thought WAS a painful task.

Ritsu gazed at the back of young boy who slowly turned to her with his usual calm face.

"Shall we go?"

... Akashi was just an alien.

* * *

_Now that Ritsu met all the main characters. It's time for some action!_

_(Yeah, I know a certain purple haired boy still hasn't made an appearance but don't worry I didn't forget about him. Hehe! he'll appear later.)_

_Let's play volleyball!_


	7. Potential and talent (1)

**Update** **: This chapter has been completely rewritten. The length has tripled, sorry if you like short chapters. But it had been bothering me for a while, it was too awful, well you might dislike this new version of the game. However, I guess you'll have a better understanding of Asaka's character. "Guiding light" will give a little more sense and set Asaka's future in Teikō.**

**For those who read this fic for the first time, I hope you'll like it. You didn't miss a lot and don't freak out by the difference between chapters. I'm doing my best in revising ****this fic.**

**Btw, I have yet looked over this chapter. I apologize for any grammatical errors and missing words, I'll fix them as soon as possible.**

* * *

Amidst the voices echoing throughout the gymnasium, Ritsu was chatting around with a group of girls, sometimes giving a curious glance at the ongoing volleyball matches. Today's PE class was volleyball, and a quite special one, as well. It was a joint lesson.

While her eyes roved the gym, she spotted familiar heads. Momoi waved at her as soon as she caught sight of her. Ritsu smiled and waved to her, though she actually never spoke to the latter – just for a brief seconds in fact. Still first impression made her look like a rather cheerful and sympathic girl. Well, with Midorima next to her, she sure was bright. The green-haired boy returned her gesture with a plain greeting while Akashi and Aomine showed more sympathy.

"Look at them, aren't they cool? They've been the hot talk of our school since they got admitted in the famous basketball club's first-string on their first try out!" One of the girl popped up next to her.

"Heard it was unheard of in the club's records! They must be amazing!" added another one with the same enthusiasm. "Seriously, I should have signed up for the basketball club as a manager!"

"Talk about motivation. The basketball club will just be on its downfall at this rate." Yagami poked fun at her.

Yagami was a fellow member of the volleyball club. She had been promoted as regular along her two weeks ago. Since then they got acquainted with one another.

And being in the same class as Midorima and Aomine, Yagami was attending the same PE class as her.

"Yagami, you meanie!" The girl stucked her tongue out in response. "You say that, but you can't say that those three don't have any charm! Oh, speaking of charm, between Aomine-kun, Midorima-kun or Akashi-sama, which do you like?"

The girl clapped her hands and her eyes were suddenly filled with sparkles.

"«Akashi-sama»? Isn't that a bit too much?" noted Yagami, a bit shocked.

"Non-non, it's perfect for him! Doesn't he give off the prince charming's vibes when you see him? Right, Asaka?"

"W-Why ask me?" Ritsu tittered, forced to join in the conversation.

For sure, Akashi was a well-mannered and kind boy and this ideal image of a prince charming suited him in many respects, but the impression she had of him was a bit different, particulary after he gave her this strange piece of advice : «_You shouldn't belittle yourself._»

Since then, Akashi and her didn't talk to each other again, though she did give some thoughts to his words.

"Your seat is just behind him in class! Must be sooo nice to see him up close everyday!"

"If you ask me, the best seats are the one right next to him, certainly. You can catch a better glimpse at his looks." Ritsu followed up, which caused her classmate's eyes to lit up.

"You do understand, Asaka! He's a feast to the eyes!" The girl grabbed her by the shoulders as though she found in her a new fellow with whom to share her crush on Akashi. "I wish I could be close to him and talk to him everyday. Ah, but if our eyes were to meet, I'd be unable to hold his gaze...!"

"In term of beauty, I think Kise from 1-B beats him. He's tall and has good looks. I really like his face, there's something innocent in him that I don't catch in Akashi." Yagami declared while ignoring the astonished looks she earned from the girls, though a faint blush came to redden her cheeks by the long silence.

"What, Kise-kun's your type! Could have not figure it out! You look so plain serious!" squealed a girl.

"It's not a big deal. I just say I like his face." Yagami toned it down.

"Yeah, yeah, we all know the story!" giggled Ritsu's classmate. She then crawled closer to Ritsu. The grin plastered on her lips told all about her intention. "What about you, Asaka?"

Even though Ritsu praised Yagami for her spur of honesty, she'd rather want to stay out of this embarrassing conversation.

"I've never really thought of it. What would be my type in your opinion?"

At the question, the girls exchanged glances and grinned all of a sudden.

"Akashi! You two'd pair up well together! Like an old married couple!"

"A...An old married couple?" Ritsu repeated with apprehension.

"Uh-Uh, if I imagine you two as an item, I can already see you doing stuff like sitting on a veranda talking about the weather or drinking tea while looking at the garden and listening to the chime. Just like my grandpa and my grandma!"

"So harsh...! It was THAT old!" Yagami blurted out.

"Yagami!" interjected Ritsu, expecting at least some support from her volleyball partner.

"Sorry, sorry, but they aren't totally off the mark, you know. You're kind of plain and a bit quiet."

"What's wrong with wishing for a peaceful life?"

"Nothing at all," Yagami said as she regained her composure. "...but talent can't just come down to an _ordinary _and_ peaceful_ thing, Hibari-senpai said this to me not long ago."

Ritsu casted a puzzled look at Yagami when she mentioned the volleyball team captain.

"True, true, you're a brillant pianist and you even manage to be a regular in the volleyball team in just a couple of months. That's kind of amazing, but somewhat...how should I put it...Hm, you don't stand out much."

Well, it wasn't her intention to be the center of attention nor was it strange for her to hear about her lack of personality. She had been told several times she looked _very_ ordinary, and in fact, she was pretty much fine with it. With such a bright background, she found unnecessary to express herself more than she had to. Besides, she liked to be around people without feeling a distance. That's how every relationships work.

"It's not like I need to stand out."

As her classmate was about to speak, a whistle blow instantly drew her attention on the central court. The current game came to an end and the two teams left the court.

"Next teams! Gather round on the court when you're called." instructed their PE teacher.

After reading his team lists, he then called out the six players for the next game.

"First team : Aoyama Satomi and Shimizu Yayoi from 1-C and Akashi Seijūrō from 1-A." He paused while looking at the said students walking up to the central court. "Second team : Maeda Hanako and Takeda Shinnosuke from 1-C and Asaka Ritsu from 1-A."

"You're going up against Akashi-kun!" cried out loud her classmate.

And she wasn't the only one to get surprised by the selection. Here and there, some mutters started to raise and some curious looks shifted to the central court, momentarily leaving aside the on-going games on the two other courts.

"That's two challengers for you! The Volleyball club's new bloom vs the Basketball club's young lion!"

The girls gawked at her before some were struck by a fit of laughter at the stupid namings.

"Hey, don't laugh at me! That sounds super cool!"

"Doesn't that rather sound weird? I mean, it's obvious that it's Asaka who's the most advantaged here. She's a regular in the volleyball team. No matter how talented Akashi is at basketball, volleyball's not the same sport." remarked a girl in the group.

Ritsu added nothing further to the facts. On such a premise, her chances of winning were quite high and she believed in it. However, it was no reason to let her guard down around the opposite team. In this case, victory didn't depend on her alone. And Akashi didn't seem to the type of player to overlook such a detail.

_\- So far, I've never met someone who failed to meet my expectation._

_\- You totally trust and respect those around you, aren't you Akashi-san?_

He did say so.

"It almost seems unfair. The teachers should have put you, Yagami, in Akashi's team to balance the power."

"You're looking down on Akashi and his teammates by saying that. And Asaka's team too." Yagami remarked, her brown eyes riveted on the small group of players gathering on the court. "Skillwise, Asaka is certainly above the rest, but she's not playing alone. The same goes for Akashi. And those factors play a lot in game."

Teamwork was the word, and also the main requirement of today's PE evaluation. That was why she couldn't rely solely on her individual skills to win in order not to throw off balance her team's strength. If there is one good thing with teamplay, it'd surely be the fact that each player can compensate the shortcomings of another through various plays and styles.

In other words, even a team with no great skills could claim a victory with a rock-solid teamplay. So taking it easy would not be wise, especially against a promising basketball player as opponent. Isn't basketball also a teamsports?

"Both team have their chances of winning. Either way, there's nothing or nobody to pity before a game."

Ritsu caught Yagami's gaze, the strong glint in her eyes raised a smile on her face.

"Uwaa...Yagami, you're so not funny when it comes to sports."

The navy-haired girl laughed it off and gave a friendly slap on her partner's shoulder.

"Have a blast, Asaka!"

"Count on it!"

As she joined her new teammates, she crossed Akashi's gaze. The latter smiled at her and she did the same. A silent greeting between challengers.

"Heard you're in the volleyball club, Asaka! Seems like I'm a bit lucky to have you as a teammate! I was damn right to count on PE to raise my grades! Good thing we're evaluated on volleyball!"

A tall boy came to greet her in its own way, he must be Takeda Shinnosuke. Looks like the perspective of a good grade had him all fired up.

"You know how to play volleyball?" Ritsu asked.

"I've my volleyball basics down pat! No sweat! But..." He paused and motioned his head to his right in a petty manner. "Can't say the same for her though."

Next to him stood a shy girl, Maeda Hanako. If Takeda had the frame of an athletic boy, it was true that the latter girl rather looked out of shape. Though, overall, she did have a good build. She was a medium-height girl with long legs.

Speaking of which, her legs were completely shaking. When Ritsu curiously made an eye contact with her, the shy girl flinched and bowed.

"I-I'm Maeda! I-I'll try to not be a b-burden...!" Maeda introduced herself in a awkward manner.

Ritsu could almost feel her nervosity, it was so palpable in the air. Now she came to understand the source of Takeda's discontentment, she did look no good, like some weak and clumsy girl who fails everything she does.

"You're not good with volleyball?" She enquired.

"N-Not good at all, I can't do anything, not even toss the ball correctly...I-I'm really, really, really, really, really bad at sports, let alone teamsports. At least in individual sport, I'm not burdening anyone..."

That was a lot of «really» in one sentence. It somehow made Ritsu smile. Maeda obviously lacked confidence in herself, certainly due to bad experiences and constant failures. Nevertheless, it didn't mean Maeda didn't wish to play at all, she just didn't want to cause trouble to her surrounding because of her incompetence.

"So, it's fine to ignore me on court...I understand..."

"In that case, you'll be burdening us, whether you play or not." Ritsu blurted out, which almost made Maeda's heart stop in shock. "Ah...eeer, sorry, I was a little bit too blunt but what I'm trying to say is that giving up when the game hasn't even started is a losing attitude and it will cause us more trouble than not doing well in game. We're three players, there's reason to it. So even if you think yourself as a burden, why not take the option in which you try fighting along your team?"

Maeda nodded without much confidence, but her legs seemed to shake less than before.

"Moreover, we're not ask to absolutely win. Just take it easy, Maeda-san, alright?"

"Sorry to spoil the mood but I WANT to win!" chimed in Takeda, glowering at his classmate. "Let's hope she won't get in our way."

By the looks of things, teamwork will not be easily achieved with those two.

* * *

"Akashi against Asaka...Might be an interesting game to see for once." commented Aomine, his blue eyes looking around the central court. "I still had wished it were basketball...I don't get volleyball at all."

"If it were basketball, this match would be no different from the other. The odds would simply tip in Akashi's favor and as a matter of fact, it would have been of no real interest."

Midorima showed no peculiar interest in the match, giving more care to his lucky item of the day, a hand mirror. Upon seeing a fingerprint on the glass, he breathed on it and carefully wiped over the surface with a microfibre cloth.

"Because Asaka's team will definetely lose?" asked Momoi, tilting her head from side to side. "But wouldn't be exactly the same for Akashi-kun in volleyball?"

"No, I saw what Akashi is capable of. He already has what it takes to be a fair challenger and make a game worth watching. In term of probability, Akashi has eighty percent of chance of winning in basketball and fifty in volleyball."

"Huh? A fifty percent of winning for Asaka in volleyball too? Both have equal chances of winning...Isn't it a bit wrong for her chances to be set this low? "

Momoi raised an eyebrow, then she casted a perplexed look at her childhood friend to have some support, but the latter just shrugged his shoulders in indifference. Yet, she frowned even more when she caught sight of a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"In what way it's low? A fifty percent chance of winning for both side is just fine for game to be good!" retorted Aomine, leaning his back straight on the wall and stopped his gaze on the ashblond-haired gir's back. "Asaka might surprise you. She might even use a secret technique that can blow the court!"

"I doubt that will ever happen, idiot." Midorima outright countered him.

"She's not a regular of the volleyball club for nothing, so there's always a chance that can happen. She does have a fifty percent of chance of winning, you said it yourself!"

His logic was so far-fetched but Midorima left it at that. He didn't meant to have such biased opinion of the game, yet those probabilities were just a reflection of the type of players Akashi and Asaka were.

"Do you dislike Asaka that much to not believe in her victory, Midorima-kun?" asked Momoi to tease the green-haired boy.

"That has nothing to do with it, she just doesn't give much of strong impression as a player."

However, when he looked at Aomine, he still was taken aback by the faith he had in the girl. Well, Aomine wasn't totally wrong regarding the interest of this volleyball match. That undetermined outcome excited him in some kind of way.

And the cause of it laid before him. His eyes were dead set on this new rival at the basketball club, a certain red-haired boy.

* * *

The match began with Shimizu's serve. The ball flew across the court. Takeda received it successfully and connected his action with Ritsu, postionned near the net. She took a quick glimpse at the players behind the net before deciding on a attack plan. Shimizu and Akashi were getting ready to block Takeda who was dashing straight to the net. If she made the toss at him, Takeda didn't stand a chance against the opposite wall and they would lose the point. Out of time and option, she was about to pass the ball to the boy when she saw the shy girl, stuck at the middle back not knowing how to participate in the team play. But, even if Maeda didn't have the least idea of what to do, Ritsu had one for. Here was a way to get off to a flying start.

"Maeda-san! Go for it!"

Ritsu quickly tossed the ball in direction of the girl. Akashi and Shimizu would not have the time to react to that change and thanks to that Maeda had a clear sight of the opposite court. Still remained Aoyama, but if she had to choose between a wall and a person, the answer was already given. And Maeda would have a higher success rate against Aoyama alone than Shimizu and Akashi together.

"M-Me?!" Maeda panicked and darted an helpless look at Ritsu.

As the distance between the ball and her narrowed, her mind went completely blank. She raised her trembling arms in the air and closed her eyes with anxiety after putting herself approximatively under the trajectory of the ball.

In a loud thump, the ball crashed on the parquet just a very few inches away of the girl, leaving behind a long silence. Ritsu was struck dumb, Takeda gaped in shock, and the rest of the students were practically showing the same bewilderment by what just happened. Then, the referee's whistle broke the silence and raised his arms toward the opposite team.

The point went to Akashi's team.

"Seriously?! You missed the ball! How could you miss a pass from your own team, you dumb girl?" Takeda stomped in her way, shooting deadly daggers at the poor shy girl.

"S-S-S-Sorry! It was so s-sudden, I really really really wasn't hoping to be part of the game so soon...! I-I thought I was just under the ball and..." Maeda fumbled for words, her voice even lowered in fear as she tried to keep a low profile in front of Takeda.

"Don't be so hard on her, it's also my fault, Takeda-san." Ritsu spoke up for the shy girl. "I decided to send the ball at her at the last moment. My bad, Maeda-san, I've put you in a tight spot."

Meada looked away while apologizing in her turn for her blunder.

"Speaking of which! Why didn't you send it to me? "

"You would have been blocked. Akashi and Shimizu were already set on you before you even jumped to attack."

"You should have taken the risk! I could have handle it on my own."

"There's no risks to take so early in the game. Besides, even me, I wouldn't have been able to break their wall easily."

Takeda sighed with exasperation. "I don't need to hear that from a volleyball team regular. We didn't lose the point, we gave it for free."

The boy returned at his position while Ritsu looked at him. He did have a point. She wanted to take the first the point in a smooth way, all in order to boost her team. If Maeda had been able to allow her team to gain the lead, she would have gain more confidence in herself and Takeda would have a better opinion of her. It would have been killing two birds with one stone. However, she had caused the opposite effect by thinking in such way. Because of that, she probably hadn't put enough trust on Takeda's skills and had been too hasty to put Maeda under the spotlight.

Ritsu shifted her attention on the shy girl. Was she too weak to be under the light yet?

Shimizu served again. The ball speeded to Maeda who tensed at its sight. Not wishing for another blunder from the girl, Takeda shouted at her to move aside. Yet, with such a short timing, he only managed to receive the ball awkwardly, hitting it too hard to have proper control. Asaka ran to the right sideline to get the ball and kept Maeda in her line of sight, primed for her next action.

"Maeda-san, jump now!" Shouted Ritsu as she set the ball for her. "Don't close your eyes and focus on the ball!"

The girl was staggered for a second and yet in a spur of courage she jumped as she was told, thinking of Ritsu's instructions as a way to make up for her blunder. In the air, she raised her arm but when the presence of the ball got closer to her, she unconsciously closed her eyes and smashed the ball too late. The ball hit the base of her palm and was fiercely pushed downward. Obviously, it never crossed the net and almost knocked Takeda out in the process.

Once again, Maeda silenced the central court, even Akashi seemed to not believe his eyes.

"Tell me you're doing it on purpose, Maeda...You're supposed to aim at the OTHER side of the net! Not ME!" The boy darted his gaze at Ritsu. "And you, what are you playing at?"

"I wanted to test something out."

"Like what? Is that even the time to test something out? Even though it's just PE, it's still a freaking game we have to win! Think about my— our grades and be more serious!"

Poor Takeda, he sure had it tough, his grade had to be awfully bad to be so desperate. That aside, he had the good attitude toward sports – he wanted to give his best to achieve victory. He wanted to win. However, his focus on victory (and on his own grade) made him lose sight of his own team potential. Takeda's mind was set on winning at all costs, even if it meant to cast aside one of his teammate. And for Ritsu, this was one thing she would never do. In a team, every player were essential. She didn't want to achieve victory at all costs, but with everyone's efforts.

The true beauty of teamsport didn't reside in victory itself but in the players' accomplishments. And she would put her effort into making it happen. More importantly, wasn't teamwork the main requirement of this evaluation?

"I'm taking it quite seriously. Call it observation if you prefer."

"Don't care how you put it, we gave them another point!"

"And it's the last we'll give them for free..." Ritsu claimed, which changed the boy's expression into puzzlement. "At the sole condition, Maeda-san and you believe in each other."

"Ah?! You're kidding me? Why do I have to rely on her when I can handle things on my own?"

"Simply because we won't win without solid basis. Our general level is too heterogeneous to center our play on each of us' individual skills and built a strategy around it. It's clear that Maeda is our weakest link among us," The said girl didn't contradict, she almost nodded in agreement, "But if we let her become our Achille's heel, we're bound to lose, no matter how hard you fight, Takeda. That's why if we can't completely increase our fire power with talent, we'll do it in a more roundabout way, which is boosting our teamplay."

"In other words, we have to support Maeda so that she won't drag us down?"

"You have the gist of it."

Said it like that, she was consicous of putting extra pressure on Maeda. She, who didn't wish to be a burden for her team, had forced others to support her. For sure, it was like a blow for her little self-confidence. But setting things straight was the best for her sake, instead of letting countless failures destroyed bit by bit her confidence, as Takeda did when he didn't let her touch the ball.

The boy didn't believe in her and Maeda didn't believe in herself, and at this rate, both would keep chaining failures; the former out of overconfidence and the latter due to a lack of confidence. Here the reason why they had to believe, even a little, in each other.

"Maeda-san fails because _we_'re letting her carry too much weight compared to what she actually can. For now, I'd like her to keep on receiving and passing the ball around the team. You can do it, Maeda-san?"

"That's..."

Before she could contradict, Ritsu cut her in her sentence. "We have your back. Even if the ball flies off to some unknown direction, don't let the ball touch the ground. Takeda and I won't let it as well."

Maeda nodded in response while Ritsu glanced at the boy who scowled, still was relunctant about the whole idea.

"Fine! I hope you know what you're doing." gave in Takeda, stomping away.

Ritsu hoped so too. However, if Maeda could gain in confidence by being useful to the team, then it was surely worth to give it a try. She might be too weak to stand under the light, yet a glow like her had two options ; either be engulfed by radiance or be part of the light.

Shimizu served for the third time, but her concentration had lacked and the ball strayed from the trajectory, going straight to the middle back. Takeda and Maeda were postionned at the back. When they both sighted the ball, neither of them moved a inch, thinking the other would receive it. And, what was bound to ensue did happen.

For her fourth serve, Shimizu sent the ball to the same spot, seemingly seeing an opening for an easy point. This time, both Takeda and Maeda moved in reaction. When they saw each other rushing to the object, they froze at the same time and allowed the ball to hit the floor with no great difficulties.

[4-0] Seems like it'll be long way for both of them to be on the same wavelength. Oh, did she forget to mention _communication_?


	8. Potential and talent (2)

"Aiyaah...At this rate, Akashi, Shimizu and Aoyama will win without doing a thing." commented a girl as she watched the game.

"See, there was nobody to pity before the game." Yagami said.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it...But right now, I'm pitying Asaka, though. Even she can't do anything because of her team."

The remark brought a faint smile upon the navy-haired girl's lips. The situation sure did look dire for Ritsu's team but Ritsu was far running out of options. She didn't come around the volleyball club with just talent and skills as her credentials; just like her, Ritsu appreciated the true essence of teamsports.

"You don't look so worried about Asaka, Yagami?"

"Because there's no reason for me to be. Each game is different, therefore there is always a time for adaptation, and it is even more true when you play with new members. Asaka is trying to find the right pace for her team before thinking of an attack plan. Naturally it means losing points in the process."

"So when they're all prepared, they'll go all out?"

"Hm, that would be very convenient for her if it goes that way, but Aoyama, Shimizu and Akashi certainly won't let them settle their attack so easily. While trying to find the right balance for her team, Asaka is showing their weakness for all to see, it's like an open invitation for the opposite team to take points. So if they stay too long on the defensive, they'll eventually lose by the wide gap of points." explained Yagami.

"Uwa...then does that really worth the shot?"

"To an extent. However, Asaka should be aware that some points are to be absolutely not lost in a game, no matter what..."

Yagami observed her volleyball partner.

_...That is, if she truly want to achieve victory._

* * *

[9-2] A seven-points gap...As expected, Akashi's team made the most of this opportunity. Ritsu couldn't allow the score to grow wider or her team will never catch up.

She looked around the court. Maeda ran to get the ball saved by Takeda and tossed it to Ritsu in a clumsy manner. Although the trajectory was almost right, the ball flew too high, breaking the rhythm of their attack. Because of the delay, Aoyama and Akashi had the time to prepare their block. So, Ritsu backed down and hit the ball without strength. That way, after being blocked, the ball would not come back with speed and power, which would have been difficult for Takeda or Maeda to save the occasion. And the game went on for another turn, her team getting the point.

Apparently, those seven-points were not lost in vain. Maeda was gradually making less mistakes and looked a bit more confident, even though the stress still played a big part on her clumsiness. Takeda seemed to have more or less accepted that they were a three-players team and tried to communicate with Maeda, though he kept shouting at her.

If the gap was narrower, she would have wished to keep on this pace in order to perfect their teamwork. However, that luxury was no longer permitted, she already pushed it to the limit.

Time for her team to change gears.

"Takeda-san, Maeda-san, listen." The boy and the girl brought their attention on her. "From now, things will get serious. We have to get back those points and take the lead."

"It was about time!" cried Takeda, as he longed for that moment.

Ritsu smiled at him. "Takeda, think you can handle the setter role alone? I'll be receiving with Maeda and I want you to set all the balls for me."

"You're going on full-attack?"

"Yes."

The answer brightened the boy's expression in a blink of an eye and asked nothing further. Knowing they might take the lead, Takeda surely smelled victory. And she wouldn't say the contrary. Despite the fact she didn't fancy offensive role, she couldn't be the only one to take it easy in the team.

Akashi's serve flew straight at Maeda. She received it yet she couldn't prevent the ball from deviating. In response, Takeda rushed immediately to the ball and tossed it back to the net. As expected, Akashi's team worked fast, Shimizu and Aoyama sprang almost with the same timing as her. Ritsu gathered her strength on her right hand and hit the ball at the right moment.

Instead of bouncing back to her court side, the ball broke past the wall. The smash got the best of Aoyama who couldn't withstand such a focused hit.

Ritsu sighed in relief. Having Hoshino – her mentor and the ace of the volleyball team – as training partner did do her well, so it seemed. Well against novice, there was actually no glory to commend. However, a demonstration of power was quite an effective way to make an impact. And she did. Takeda had that look of a competitor, aiming for victory. Maeda had this glimmer of hope glinting in her eyes, as though everything would go well and could be possible, even for her.

Inspiration was the best oil for a body.

Here she goes for kills.

* * *

"Ooh," Ritsu's classmate gasped in awe. "Three points in row! Asaka's team is progressively closing the gap! Why didn't she play like that from the start?'"

"Takeda and Maeda wouldn't have been able to keep up with her and Asaka can't play volleyball all alone." said Yagami.

"Hmm, now you mention it, it's true that Maeda-chan was screwing up a lot at the beginning but now she can more or less toss the ball correctly. The same goes for Takeda-kun, he was trying to rush things and now he seems a lot more careful about his surrounding." She noted, tilting her head. "That's some great progress! They can almost make it through!"

A slight frown darkened Yagami's expression while following the movements of Asaka's team. Takeda staggered for hesitating a second, and the same clumsiness affected the ball, which caused Asaka's attack hit to decrease in effectiveness. The whistle echoed for the opposite team.

"Well, almost, huh..." Ritsu's classmate added when witnessing the missed attempt.

"Asaka has settled a good balance between her teammates yet it's kind of fragile."

"Fragile?"

"At the moment, Takeda and Maeda are already giving their best to keep the ball in play and as a consequence they barely add power to their attack. This sort of strategy of survival doesn't last in time. Not if the other team is determined to ensure their victory."

* * *

"She took her time. At least, I commend her talent for volleyball." Midorima commented curtly while adjusting his glasses up his nose bridge, then he sneaked a glance at the flip board indicating the following score : 10-6.

"Why do you have to make it sound so bad? Asaka is playing more than well." snorted Aomine. "For a guy who doesn't know how to do a good toss in volleyball, you sure talk big, Midorima. It goes so high that we have to wait for it. In her stead, you'd lose against Akashi in a heartbeat!"

"Shut up, Aomine." hissed the green-haired boy as his teammate hit a nerve. "I'm simply not as naive as you. Didn't you notice something about this game? About Akashi?"

Despite the banter, Midorima's voice turned grave all of a sudden, a keen interest burning in his green eyes. Noticing that change of expression, his questions resounded with curiousity. Aomine followed his line of sight and his gaze landed on Akashi's side.

Akashi was setting the ball and linked his movement with the two other girls. In a fast yet long arc, the ball crossed the court to the opposite side, where Shimizu was getting in position and then jumped. However, her hit never got past the net, blocked by Ritsu. The block would have been successful, if it weren't for Akashi who reacted with splendid reflexes. The ball was sent to the back with a flawless control, almost like the acceleration gained by the block had been nullified. Thank to that, Aoyama had no problem to launch their attack. However, Shimizu bad-timed her jump, only her fingertips managed to push the ball. In her blunder, she didn't push it forward but higher. The ball grazed Ritsu's fingertips and due that touch, it lost its impulsion and fell down a few inches behind the ashblond-haired girl.

Aomine squinted his eyes as he observed the game. Although the last point had been guided by Lady Luck's hands, the lead was well-secured by Akashi's team in spite the strong waves of attack from other team. Fortune or not, this didn't explain all about that ratio of power. Ritsu wasn't sparing any of her efforts and yet she couldn't completely blow out their defense to take the lead. Admittedly, her team was making many mistakes, but that should be the case for the other side as well.

"Akashi and his team don't miss lots of their occasions, huh. And it doesn't seem like they have any issues on the offensive side. They're good both in defense and offense."

_A well-rounded team._

"You noticed."

"Even me can notice something that simple. Don't treat me as more stupid than I am!" He retorted, scratching the nape of his neck in annoyance.

His volleyball knowledge may be limited but a sport was a sport, his eyes couldn't miss a detail like that. There was indeed a small peculiarity about Akashi's team : the quality of their play. It wasn't of the same quality as the typical average teams he knew. The swift movements of the ball between the players and its right timing and trajectory manifested a top-grade skills and technique, seeing as how easily each player was able to connect actions with one another.

Naturally, such a quality shouldn't be something pulled off by first comers like Akashi's team.

"I guess it's thanks to Akashi-kun." Momoi figured as well, jerking her head forward the two boys with a cheeky smile. "If you look well, his tosses are almost inch-perfect and technically flawless in comparaison to Aoyama-san and Shimizu-san. Thanks to that, Akashi-kun covers up his team mistakes and makes it easier for his teammates to coordinate their movements."

Momoi was sharp. It was true that Aoyama and Shimizu were just your average players with no real distinction whatsoever, but that wasn't the feeling he had when he looked at them play, they were rather good to say the least. And, that kind of magic was the mere result of Akashi's talent.

"Honestly, since when did that guy learn to play volleyball?" Aomine raised the question.

He wouldn't say it out loud but he did found Akashi impressive for applying this familiar pace he observed many times during basketball practice in volleyball.

"Hm, well, Akashi-kun is kind of amazing in many ways." Momoi stated, though Aomine could catch a small hint of reserve in her voice. "Mi-chan and Acchan always speaks fondly of him. He can do everything, they say."

"Amazing is one thing but «that», they speak about him as if he's some superhuman. Akashi's just Akashi if you ask me."

"It's certainly because everything he does are successful." Momoi tried to give it a reason, tilting her head. "I've rarily seen him failed something in basketball. That must be the same for the rest, seeing how this match is heading off...That's kinda scary, don't you think?"

Though she said it in a lighthearted tone, Aomine considered it seriously. His gut feeling had been spot on since the first day of basketball practice. Day by day, Akashi become a player with whom he wanted to hit a court.

"Akashi isn't the type to take unnecessary risks. He's well-aware of his own potential and his surrounding, that's why failures are very low with him. But it also explains how he can lead the game with ease."

When he flipped his mirror to his left, he saw in its reflection, Momoi and Aomine exchanging sceptical looks.

"In volleyball, there is a position called _setter_, the equivalent of _point guard_ in basketball. They are the lead offense by deciding who gets the ball to score. Just like good passes determines the quality and effectiveness of the attack in basketball, the setter's toss has to be set at the right timing and player." Midorima paused and darted an intense gaze at the red-haired boy. "Those, undeniably, require a keen sense of observation and a fine sense for passes...which are Akashi's strong points."

_Observation skills and a sense for passes_. Aomine had nothing to say about it. The redhead sure had those competences in him and knew how to use them wisely. The first time he played with him, he had been quite surprised by his pass quality, he seldom felt such invincible sensation during a game. When Akashi passes the ball, the simplicity and smoothness made it hard to fail an action.

And visibly, Akashi handled this match with the very same approach. It explained Aoyama and Shimizu's good level. Bad passes never connected players and confused while good passes created the best conditions and optimized a team potential.

"By taking on the role he's the most familiar, Akashi perfectly knows what he's doing and can gain complete control of the game."

"Complete control?" repeated Momoi, having mixed thoughts about this absolute outcome.

"Eyes and intellect are big assets in game but they aren't everything. It would be hard for anybody to keep up with a regular of the volleyball team with no knowledge of the said sport. For him, to manage a play of this level means that Akashi has also strong basis in volleyball."

"He's taking it quite seriously..."

"Have you ever seen Akashi slack off in a game?" The green-haired boy enquired.

"Never." Momoi replied matter-of-factly.

Midorima gave a slight of nod the head and completed, "He won't rest until his chance of victory hits hundred percent."

_That's Akashi for you, _Aomine thought.

* * *

"We keep chasing after them..." said Takeda between his breathes.

[12-9] Ritsu read on the flip board. Even her skills and experience wouldn't cut it, they were literally swept by Akashi's team. Their opponents were barely losing ground.

She failed at breaking their defense, which shouldn't have been very hard to pierce at her level. Though she didn't want to boast about her talent for volleyball, she was confident in her skills. However, Akashi and his team had reorganized their defense in a fashionably fast way and reduced the effectiveness of her attack almost by half, making her hit rate drop to sixty percent instead of eighty.

Ritsu didn't see it coming in fact, and this strange inefficiency had made them earn her full attention. For a team of novices, they sure had a good defense and offense. Generally, novices tend to leave many openings as their play was rather muddled due to a lack of technique. But, it wasn't the case here. There were no big openings she could fully exploit.

And this was the work of a noteworthy lead who was none other than Akashi Seijūrō.

It should have been expected, yes it should have but she must concede that he went beyond her expectations. In light of his athletic aptitudes, adding to it the fact that he was a fast learner, she assumed his volleyball competences to be good. Nonetheless, she never expected him to show such a leadership and technique. No wonder he was fast-tracked to the first-string on his first run with this kind of talent.

Akashi was sharp and his brain worked fast, preventing any actions from lasting. Skill-wise, he had a good grip on a volleyball. His way of playing was mixing the simplicity of a beginner and this nimbleness of an experienced player.

_That was impressive. _

By looking at him, Ritsu couldn't help thinking that even Maeda would have played decently in his team.

Suddenly smacked by the stupidity of her reflexion, she erased it off her mind with a slap of rationality. Now was not the time to be impressed or get swept by her opponents, she had yet to have her back against the wall.

All accounts taken, she saw one way to narrow the score.

At Takeda's call, Ritsu jumped. Over the net, her view of the opposite court was clear and she took that instant to scope each players' positions. Shimizu was spurting to block, Aoyama was ready to counter at the left-back and Akashi was securing the opposite side right in front of the spiking the line. Good thing she was on the left as well, it left her enough margin to aim at peculiar point.

Shimizu was too late on her block and Ritsu spiked the ball straight at Akashi's zone. As she anticipated, he dug the spike. But a detail came to surprise her, in a good way.

Akashi fumbled the ball – unlikely due to the impact or even the surprise effect – and broke their momentum. Aoyama ran to set it the best in her ability. In her effort, she tossed it too hard, and thus sent it past the net. Shimizu tried to fix the miscalculation and jumped after the ball. Despite it, the flying object was still a bit high for her to reach. Only the tip of her middle finger touched it.

A chance ball! Ritsu shouted out at her teammates their next moves.

First, Maeda got into position, even her should be able to redirect Aoyama's missed toss with more or less accuracy. Second, Takeda took up his role and directed the ball along the net.

Just before the jump, Ritsu caught sight of Aoyama joining up Shimizu for the block. That worked for her. Since Akashi was covering most of the right side, it meant all the left back was an open spot. Even if her red-haired classmate tried to save the ball, he would never make it in time.

At the apex of her jump, she was about to aim full-strength at the left side of the court. When she caught sight of Shimizu's arms swinging to the left, as though she read her moves on the spot. With her timing, the ball would bounce back to their side. That fraction of hesitation had costed her momentum but not the point.

In a swift yet soft movement of hand, she tipped the ball over the net. It got past Shimizu and landed on the floor.

Ritsu heaved a sigh of relief for their success.

_A stroke of luck though_... But she picked out a part of what she wanted to see. [12-10]

The game resuming, Maeda served the ball and Ritsu witnessed the opposite trio's well-oiled teamwork once again. Comapred to the previous game sequence, it really felt like a different team when Akashi was their lead.

Ritsu received the ball and safely delivered it to Takeda. In mid-air, she bluntly aimed Akashi and spiked. This time, his receiving had this usual good quality. Shimizu handled the setting and linked up with Aoyama. Since the girl was the shortest among the team, she tossed the ball low for her, but she miscalculated the distance between her and the net. It was too short. In her run, Aoyama got past the trajectory and jumped back to get the toss and attack.

Inevitably, the clusmy hit was blocked and dropped on their side. [12-11]

"We...We're coming back!" rejoiced Takeda, thanking some unknown gods with his voice shaking in disbelief. Well, she could symphathize with him, since the beginning they never were this close of narrowing the score. "How can that be? You did something, Asaka?"

"Somehow. I'm glad it works." Ritsu confirmed while her answer illuminated the boy's eyes, glistening as though tears of happiness were welling up. Visibly, this long chase almost drained him out of all hope of acing this evaluation.

"What did you do?" enquired Takeda, curious of this new tactic that would brought him victory.

"I'm forcing Akashi to take on first position instead of second. He's the pivot of their team. Without him as their offense lead, their margin of error is greater. Shimizu and Aoyama play well but I doubt they can reproduce the same quality of play as Akashi in the same role. This difference is what allows us to catch them up."

"Eeh. That's why you're aiming his zone...I thought you've lost your mind since we were stuck. That guy has the highest probabilities of stopping us. He hardly let a ball get past him."

So even Takeda recognized Akashi's talent for volleyball.

"Then, as long as we bind Akashi to receiving, we have our chance! All right, let's do it!"

While Takeda was raring to go, Ritsu expressed reservations. Given Akashi's great analytical skills, her plan would not work forever. Furthermore, she may acknowledge him as an excellent support yet she practically never observed him play directly on attack. And since he was receiving, it also made him a good candidate as a hitter along Shimizu.

Nonetheless, when she took a look at him, could he even be a potential dangerous hitter?

Before getting in position, she considered the net height then lowered her gaze back to him one last time.

And she blinked.

Was Akashi smiling?

* * *

For the next round, Ritsu used the same tactic and didn't miss her target. As lightfooted as he was, Akashi received the ball with disconcerting ease, warning her that he was getting the hang of his new position. Shimizu responded to Aoyama's call and attacked. The ball touched the side of Ritsu's hand, though slightly being deviated, it still entered their court.

Fortunately, Maeda reacted soon enough to keep the ball in play, in spite her control being desperately off. Takeda ran for it and prepared their counterattack.

Once again, Akashi fulfilled his job. Yet what followed next buzzed all her senses on full alert. Ritsu heard Akashi calling for the toss and saw him running toward the net as Aoyama set the ball for him.

_Impossible! _

The red-haired boy jumped high, so high that half of his head got over the net. Having a full and open view of the opposite court, a glance was enough to decide on his course of action.

Baffled by the whole thing, it took a full second for Ritsu to react and lunge to stop him – one deadly second. Her fingers reached the ball but such weak block was bound to crumble at the first shock. She yielded to his power.

The ball bolted out of bounds and crashed between the central and right court. Students who witnessed that action all were blown away, gawking at the volleyball bouncing and echoing. [13-11]

Ritsu stood speechless, her fingers burning in pain by the hit.

"What the...? N-No way! How the hell is that even possible for that midget to jump so high?!" Takeda spluttered out of shock.

That was the one million dollar question.

More seriously, Akashi pulled off something crazy just now. His jump demonstrated an impressive vertical. The net was over two meters ten. Taking Akashi's height into account – between 1m55-60 by a glance – he normally shouldn't be able to reach the top of the net.

She hated to admit it but on this point, she had underestimated him. The more the game advances, the more Akashi's pressure becomes overbearing. Powerful jumps plus sheer strength for offense, observation skills plus instinct for defense, Akashi had played his main cards.

She clenched her hand into a fist. Not forgetting the striking impact from his spike, the burning sensation on her hand was still crawling under her skin and spreaded through her body. Wild heartbeats thumped against her chest.

That thrill wasn't the simple deed of any kind of players. He was the real thing. A real challenger.

* * *

"D-Did you see what I just saw...?" Momoi was baffled, her lips twitching.

Aomine didn't believe his eyes either. Was Akashi really superhuman? He litteraly flew.

"That guy's no joke. Isn't Akashi 1m55 tall?" He asked too be sure.

"1m58, to be correct." rectified his childhood friend, recalling some of personal datas stored in her memory. "Akashi isn't as tall as a tree but he's not that small either...He's, well, not your stereotypical basketball player – to say the least."

_To say the least_, was it? Visibly, Momoi was slightly miffed about it. Upon hearing her speak so vaguely, an intuition told him that Akashi's prowess had to do with her mixed feelings. When she bore that kind of expression and gave imprecise information, it either meant that some of her observations had been proven wrong or that she had no read of a person.

Given how her face puckered, he bet for the former. She was surely wondering how on earth Akashi could _fly _or something close to it.

"Whatever. Does 3cm even change anything? The net is more than two meters high. No matter how you look at it, there's a huge difference. How did he pull it off to the top?"

"...He has leg strength. A great amount in fact. With that much power in the legs, it's possible for Akashi to make up for his short reach." Midorima answered matter-of-factly, hiding his bewilderment behind a cracked mask of composure.

"Of course, and someday, we'll see him dunking in a middle of game." Aomine scoffed, not giving the least consideration for his comrade's theory,

"That might be worth considering."

"Oi, Midorima, can't you tell that it was a joke?"

"...No, Midorima-kun is right." Momoi gave support to the greenhead's statement. "Akashi-kun might have the potential to dunk. In jump, Asaka-san is only reaching 40cm best when she's in the volleyball club, whereas Akashi-kun has leaped around 50cm high."

"Just 50cm? Isn't that the average for athletes?"

He estimated more considering the explosive way Akashi leaped off the ground and the height of the net.

"Not _just_, Aomine-kun." Momoi retorted, her frown deepening. "A vertical jump of 50cm is no ordinary accomplishment at all. At our age, we normally should be able to jump around 20-30 cm high best. Based on this average, Akashi-kun should not _physically _be able to do it."

"But you can't lump athletes and non-athletes together. As a basketball player, Akashi has leaping ability. It's normal for him to jump higher than the average."

"Be that as it may, we're talking about a 20cm difference above the norm. Akashi's jumps usually range between 30-40cm, which is a pretty good average for a player of his built."

"He broke his own record?"

"He did, perharps was it just on the spur of the moment...Even so, that doesn't fully explain this record. His legs can't have developped yet the power muscles for that kind of giant jumps...It must take a toll on him. 40cm IS his very limit, it can't be otherwise..." She bit her lips in hesitation, clenching her jogging pants. A glimmer of awe flickered in her eyes yet this sentiment also seized her throat in apprehension of truth she found hard to believe despite the evidence. "...Unless his potential is greater than expected. Extending his current limit to 50cm."

"It seems like so. You're perspicacious, Momoi." Midorima noted solemnly yet appreciatedly.

At the sudden compliment, Momoi gawped at the slender boy then choked on saliva, not knowing how to respond.

"Akashi improves fast, it will surely be a matter of time for him to surpass his personal record. In the future, his vertical jumps might even go higher than 50cm."

Bluntly meaning that Akashi could possibly dunk, no matter how absurd as it may sound.

"Is that for real?"

"So serious that it's giving me the chill..."

"There's nothing to worry about. It can't happen anytime soon or he'll be straining his body too hard. Don't forget we're in the middle of growth." Midorima stated after adjusting his glasses then he glanced at the pair of childhood friends. "Akashi may be amazing but his performances merely live up to his daily efforts, in the same way as Aomine or me. He's progressing at his pace, although a few notches faster than most of us, it must be natural for him. In point of fact, I'd be more concerned to see him show no little progress after so many hours of training and hardwork than witnessing his blooming potential as his teammate."

Momoi chuckled, actually finding Midorima more caring than he sounded.

* * *

**Note about height :**

**Currently, Akashi is 1m58. Asaka is 1m64.**


	9. Potential and talent (3)

[19-12]

_Crap_...Ritsu swept small drops of sweat running down to her chin, her gray-blue eyes studied the tactical patterns of the opposite team in a faint hope of figuring out a counterattack plan. Akashi's versality on ground and in the air changed drastically the flow of the game, his team didn't show much flaws and openings but it was even worse now. The boy's presence was overwhelming on court. And to say, she had triggered this bad turnover...

She leaped to block Akashi. Both above the net, the ball was smashed and squeezed between Akashi's power and Ritsu's resistance for an instant before it was ejected out of bounds, interrupting another game on the right court.

She examined the state of her hands, they were completely red and pain were scorching her palms by the restless match. She then clenched her fist. This heat proved her something, that this game was drawing to a close.

This turnover was bound to happen whether she triggered it or not, because Akashi was striving for victory. That overbearing presence at this stage of the game was a manifestation of his determination to win, and seeing how long this match had dragged on without her team taking the lead once. Only one thing remained to do for him : Crush all last hopes for a come-back and secure his victory.

"...aka-san! A-Asaka-san!" Maeda stammered while calling her out, her hands were glued on her chest out of nervosity.

At the shaky yet loud call, Ritsu drew out of her meditation and blinked in disbelief. "What is it, Maeda-san?"

"I REALLY want to be of some help! Be it attacking, setting the ball or receiving, if you think I can, then please let me!" She begged, mustering all her courage to speak up.

"Hey, what's gotten into you? Because of who, do you think we're in deep shit?" spat Takeda, "You're shooting down most of our occasions! I can't even take my breath as I keep covering your mistakes!"

"I know you can't play well because of me! I suck at volleyball, I can't change it, but...but when I see you two doing your best to support me, I...I really really want to do more for the team! So let me assist you for once!" She spluttered, pulling her head forward so as to get heard by Takeda, "Please!"

After her plea, the girl didn't notice she was almost at a breath away of the boy's face. Too shocked to even move, his head mechanically ticked to Ritsu, his gaze calling for help, though she was as stupefied as him. Maeda's initiative sure was frantic but at the same time relieving. The girl who had almost thrown in the towel right off the bat was now the one who was the least ready to give up. It made her smile.

"I take you by words, then." Ritsu praised her initiative and then turned to the relunctant boy, "Takeda-san?"

"Do what you want. At this point, it's not like we'll win anyways."

Takeda squinted at the flip board and read their current score, and dejectedly turned his eyes away from it, already kissing goodbye his victory and good grade.

His moral was completely down, and well, she couldn't blame him for that. Those kind of negative thoughts did cross her mind more than once. The odds were stacked against them all along the game, every of their attempts had been vain and barely showed significant results unlike the opposite team. Dominated and at thirteen points away of victory while the other team was only at six points, efforts seemed quite pointless as of now.

Nevertheless, even though she sympathized with his feelings, this losing attitude would not help them achieve victory. She couldn't accept it. For the naive reason, she wanted to win with Maeda and Takeda.

"Takeda-san," The tall boy looked at her askance, "you can be desperate but don't lose hope yet."

"Come again?" He interjected at a loss. "Did you too hit your–W-Wait, does that mean..." He then stumbled for his words as he caught a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"No, I don't have any plan in mind." Ritsu instantly shot down his desillusion, she couldn't promise him miracles when their situation might not improve greatly, nay at all. "But I do have confidence in my skills. Even Maeda seems to believe enough in herself to take her play to the next level. It really sounds like nothing and it might be true in fact, nevertheless, haven't you heard about that saying «desperate times calls for desperate measures»? We may be desperate but we're still standing, there's still things we can do."

"F-Fine! However," Takeda huffed, "let me hammer something onto your head, Asaka!"

The next second, his face scrunched up with anger, shooting daggers at her for an unknown reason. He made a step in her direction and faced her severely.

"I don't want to freaking hear THAT from a volleyball team regular! At least, say YOU can beat the crap out of them! Maeda and me can be desperate all we want but at your level, don't give me that shit of being unable to stand against and beat a midget and two novices in your chosen field! It's clear you can do a lot more, so just fucking do it! You're the best player of our team, act like so!"

Takeda had blown a fuse, forgetting to mind his speech as blood kept boiling in his head. Ritsu was at loss of words but she heard him well. His words didn"t rung hollow inside her. Like he said, she was their best chance to overturn the situation, was it still the time to play it humble?

«_You shouldn't belittle yourself._» Out of the blue, Akashi's words reverberated in the deepest part of her mind.

Ritsu smiled at Takeda and gave him a resolute nod.

"Takeda-san, Maeda-san, take the next point at all costs. If we have the point, next will be my turn to serve."

"I thought you got no plan."

"Because it's not. Didn't I tell you I believe in my skills, that's all there is to it." Ritsu said, squinting his eyes at the opposite trio. "I really have no idea what awaits us, but after making us chase after them, we must respond in kind."

* * *

Takeda received Shimizu's serve, Maeda and Ritsu followed up. But their attack didn't make it through, all thanks to Akashi. The latter kept the ball in play and their retaliation started. Swiftly and strongly, the ball crossed the other side. At the sight, Maeda braced herself and put her arms forward. Unfortunately, things didn't go smoothly for her. Akashi's spike was too powerful for a novice like her to absorb its force and send it back safely. In her attempt, she bent her arms inward and thus, slightly changing the direction of the ball at this speed. Instead, the ball flew straight at her head and smashed her forehead.

"Maeda-san!" cried Ritsu.

Stunned by the impact, the girl wobbled on her feet, her hands clutching her forehead in pain. Although worried about her, Ritsu couldn't let it get to her. The ball was still in play. She rushed to it and shouted across instructions for Takeda, and Maeda too as the girl motioned her hand telling her that she was fine. No hesitation in her decision, she tossed the ball alongside the net. Both her teammates headed to the net, carefully concentration on the low arc of the ball. Maeda jumped first, seeing Shimizu and Akashi followed her impulsion.

In the air, the girl lowered her right arm, when behind her, Takeda's silhouette sprang high and spiked the ball, aiming between Shimizu's arms.

The whistle of the referee sweetly blew in favor of her team. [19-13]

"Maeda-san, are you all right?" Ritsu ran up to her.

"I-I'm okay." She assured with a smile.

Ritsu thought the opposite by looking at her. In the middle of her forehead, a round and big red spot boldly constrasted with her pale complexion and some tears were welling up in the corner of her eyes out of pain.

"At least...I didn't totally screw up this time! I-It's our turn to counterattack!"

"Um." confirmed Ritsu, moved by Maeda's spirit.

Even though she did say _at all costs_, she didn't mean to act so recklessly. Well, Maeda didn't hurt herself on purpose, nonetheless, instead of retreating, she ignored the pain and immediately participated in the offense. A part of her wanted to condemn such attitude but Ritsu couldn't hold it against her. In contrast of the defeated girl from the beginning, Maeda seemed to have taken a liking the game itself and showed it in the most determined way. Wasn't it inspiring?

"Thanks to you. I'll make good use of this occasion you've created for us."

Maeda giggled in a timid manner and tried to hide her happiness behind her bangs.

It was her turn to serve. Her hands gripped the ball, Ritsu took a deep breath and concentrated. After all efforts her team made so far, she had no room for error so as to not disappoint Takeda and Maeda. If they wished for victory, so would she.

A few centimenters behind the end line, she threw the ball high in the air and made few steps forward. She jumped, pacing her action with the speed of the falling ball. When she reached the apex of her jump and the ball reached the perfect height, she hit the ball in the best condition.

The ball blew past the net and left the opposite court with no reaction.

Ritsu grinned at the sound of the whistle.

An ace and the first of many. Time to show what a Teikō volleyball team player can do!

* * *

_Three aces in a row_, Yagami counted, sharing the same collective admiration among the students. It was spectacular comeback. Ritsu completely shut Akashi and his team down. Nonetheless, Yagami couldn't help but keep a guarded eye on the situation.

In her fourth serve, Akashi managed to redirect the ball but his control lacking, it headed right to the middle of net. Ritsu was losing bit by bit her focus. Of course, she couldn't stay long on such high level concentration for her serves. Every spectacular prowess required a great deal of efforts, whatever the potential.

The next serve, Akashi broke the chain of aces. The boy urged his team to regroup and darted to the net alongside Shizimu after tossing the ball to Aoyama. As he was about to spike, Ritsu bursted in his view. It was too late for him to attempt any change. The ball was blocked.

[19-18] Only one point and they were tied. Thanks to Ritsu's momentum, her team got their head of the water, and she might even add that they were on a good way to victory as long as they kept on riding this powerful wave.

However, at the start of the next turn, Ritsu's decision upsetted her. Yagami frowned suddenly as her volleyball partner returned to very basic serves for an unfathomable reason. And needless to mention that it cut short her team momentum. What was she thinking?

Although those serves were exhausting, Ritsu should still have the physical ressources to pull it off. Did Akashi's threat put a damper on her over-zealousness?

Watching the ball passed from hand to hand, from court to court, Yagami looked at the springing form of the ashblond-haired girl ready to challenge Akashi in aerial battle. Both leaped in the air, Akashi extended his arms while Ritsu smashed the ball.

For a fleeting moment, Yagami could have sworn see the volleyball team ace, Hoshino's shadow overlapped Ritsu's. The next instant, a deafening sound echoed throughout the gym and casted silence. Until a whistle blow broke it.

Yagami composed her thoughts and somewhat laughed at herself for the hasty judgement. No doubt about it, Asaka was still riding on that strong wave, she just changed her gears to a more aggressive style.

That sheer power was proof enough.

"Woah!" Ritsu's classmate gasped in shock, "Better not take up a fight with Asaka! Where did she draw that much strength? She couldn't do a thing against Akashi-kun's team until just now!"

"You might not know but Asaka is known to be better on offense than support in the volleyball club, even if she tells you otherwise. What you're seeing right now is Asaka at the best of her abilities."

Praticing together, she noted the difference of power and technique when it comes to offense skills. Ritsu hit harder and jumped higher than her, denoting some good volleyball experiences behind her.

Yagami tightened her arms around her legs and pulled them against her chest. No wonder Hoshino was appointed as her mentor. Technically speaking, those two were alike.

Nevertheless, Ritsu should realize that she was only Hoshino's shadow at her level. Despite the dropping accuracy, she should have taken the risk of keeping on serving at full power and responding on this momentum if countered instead of completely giving up the serves and went on a new momentum that had yet find a reason to be triggered. Akashi might be a threat but his responses were still too weak compared to her strength. Maybe Ritsu was being overcautious because of her team, which might be detrimental for her.

By pushing her play to such aggressive play, she was draining her stamina way too quickly. And, as far as she knows, stamina was one of her weakest points, unlike Hoshino.

She was pushing her limits in the wrong way. Even so, would it still be considered fundamentally wrong if she achieved victory like this?

Yagami left unanswered the question and kept the answer for her own eyes to see.

Teamwork or individual skills, Ritsu had already chosen her way of fighting, and she better go through it till the end or an hesitation might be fatal.

* * *

[20-21]

*pants**pants*

Ritsu was trying to catch her breath. Akashi was gradually responding fiercer than before, his technique clearly lacked on some aspects compared to her but it was enough to exhaust her.

Each teams not wanting to lose ground near the end of the match, the ball often happened to fly back and forth from a court to another without a decisive hit. Which was getting the best of everyone.

Looking around, Aoyama and Shimizu were both short on breath since a moment while Akashi showed much more endurance yet his face was still strained by efforts. When she turned her gray-blue eyes to her team, the vision was also terrible. Maeda was panting heavily, barely finding the strength to remain on her legs. Drops of sweat were dripping on Takeda's face. No matter how hard he tried to get his breath back, his condition didn't get improve.

At the sight, Ritsu wondered if she had gone too far. Since she decided to orientate her play to full-offense, Takeda and Maeda had done everything possible to keep up with the restless pace. And now, her team was near exhaustion, even she was no longer at her best physical condition. At this rate, if felt like they would never see the end line.

Talk about leadership! On her drive, she kept on calling for tosses while one-sidedly going to attack. Maeda and Takeda said nothing about it and supported her. But was it all right to keep on like this? Perhaps, they kept their mouths shut as they had no choice but to follow her in order to win.

The thought upsetted her. Can it still be called_ teamwork, _let alone a _team_?

She couldn't go on alone like this. Maeda and Takeda were losing their focus and increased technical errors due to exhaustion. Unlike her, they weren't athletes. Without support, her skills cannot make a big difference. The beginning of the game revealed that much.

She had to slow it down for their sake, and for the sake of achieving victory together.

"Takeda-san, Maeda-san, can you still fight?"

"Ah...yes, totally...! The tall boy said between his breaths. "Why the question?"

"I'll be relying a little on you two...I'm reaching my limit."

"But we're near the end!" cried out Takeda, "Can't you hang on till the end? Akashi must be at his limit too!"

Ritsu shook her head. "I'm losing concentration, it's not good at all. Maeda and you, too, have trouble keeping up with my pace, I notice. Your reactions are getting slower each mintutes. Instead of going stronger, our team is weakening if we're going on like this...while Akashi's team seems more or less able to keep the fight. Didn't you notice how Akashi is being responsive to our offense?"

Takeda swallowed her decision through spite and gave in after facing the truth of her facts.

Nothing else to add, Ritsu took a deep breath. The end was near.

* * *

Maeda's serve resumed the uphill battle. Both teams went on an endless struggle, attacking and defending.

[21-22]

_Three points left_, Ritsu whispered between her breaths.

Breathing became hard, really hard. Running and jumping too. Every movements felt so heavy and stiff, as though her body was abruptly subjected to the effects of gravity.

_Damn_. By slowing down her pace, she believed it would help breath a new momentum inside the team. But somewhat it felt even tougher and more tiring than when she was alone on the offense. She couldn't even maintain a proper level of play. She was aware of her average stamina, she was often picked on by Hoshino and some other volleyball club members because of it. Nonetheless...

"ASAKA! The ball!"

The desperate shout snapped her out of her thoughts and came from Takeda. The latter screwed up his receiving, making the ball drift off back to the end line.

The time Ritsu caught on what was going on, the ball was already falling down and on the verge of going out of bounds. Assimilating that flow of information by a glance, Ritsu leaped on her feet as fast as possible.

She couldn't let the ball touch the ground. She couldn't lose a point so stupidly. Just because of moment of inattention!

As the ball was about to touch the ground, her left wrist lifted it up back to the net, leaving Takeda and Maeda take care of the rest. She saved the ball in extremis, yet she couldn't say the same about herself. She arrived so quickly on the ball that when she dug it, she almost fell flat on her face.

"Asaka-san! Everything's okay?" Momoi hurried to her and kneeled next to her while giving a brief examination to her state.

"Ah...Um, y-ye—" A sharp pain on her right wrist reduced her to silence as she was getting up.

Knowing what this pain meant, Ritsu gritted her teeth in pain, and discreetly out of frustration. She sprained her wrist by using her right hand as body support to break her fall. How reckless of her!

"Asaka-san?" Momoi repeated, worried.

"Ah...Ah! Y-Yes, I'm fine...!" Ritsu lied, moving a little around to prove it.

"You sure? You fell pretty hard." remarked Aomine as he extended his hand to help her get on her feet.

"Um," She shook her head under Aomine and Momoi's suspicious gazes. "Don't worry, I didn't get hurt! I was just caught up in the heat of the moment!"

"In the heat of the moment? Only idiots are losing themselves in a game and take inconsiderate risks to the point of getting injured." Midorima chided her, examinating her from head to toes with a soupçon of concern.

"Midorima-kun!" Momoi told him off for the unnecessary advice.

"Er, thanks for the concern, Midorima-kun..."

"Don't listen to him! That guy doesn't know how to appreciate a game!" added Aomine. At his back, a vein popped on Midorima's temple, who didn't seem to have appreciated that silly comment.

She chuckled. When she returned on court, Maeda and Takeda ran up to her, both worried as well.

"A-Asaka-san!"

"Sorry, Asaka!" Takeda apologized immediately for his mistake. "You didn't get hurt, I hope?"

"No, just some bruises. I'm also to blame, I was kind of lost in my thoughts."

"T-That's good, then..." His voice lowered in embarrassment, which brought her faint smile on her face. "You scared us by falling flat like that."

Did she fall that hard? The moment that stupid question popped in her mind, her body instantly answered it in its own way. Her wrist was hurting, burning in pain. No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, each of her wrist movements intensified the pain.

She sighed, asking herself whether she should give up or continue. Her heart was still racing along the wild beats of the game. Yet, reason would have her that she gave up, playing in that condition would only worsen her injury, and she certainly couldn't afford that as an athlete.

Her lips parted opened but Takeda didn't seem to notice and said :

"We don't know what we'd do without you. Look at the score!"

He pointed his index at the flip board. [22-22]

Even though they lost the point, Takeda didn't seem to give it importance, surprisingly. Their spectacular comeback had likely improved his mood. Well, they closed the points gap from thrirteen to three, anybody would exult at such a accomplishment. Though it was too soon to count the chickens before they're hatched.

"We can do it!" exclaimed Takeda.

"J-Just a little more!" Maeda followed up.

Somehow, their enthusiasm was so communicative that she couldn't help but be touched. After all their efforts, how could she even think an instant of letting them down?

Her mouth shut and sealed away all her words and her pain. If nobody knows about her sprain, who can actually stop her, except herself?

Her decision was made. Instead of worrying of the consequences, she would focus on victory for now.

«_Just a little more_» won't kill her.

* * *

[25-22]

At the final blow, Ritsu closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. Expecting a better ending would have been too much to ask, she figured defeatedly.

"I'm sorry, Takeda-san, Maeda-san."

The boy and the girl exchanged puzzled looks before Maeda eventually dared to ask the reason.

"About what?"

"Well, we didn't even score a point in the last minutes and lost."

"Ah, that," Takeda rubbed his nape, having some guilty feelings, "Don't let it get to you. True, I was frantic about the victory stuff and forced your hand. And, er, well, I apologize for that, I sort of got stressed about my grade and," He took a quick glance at the girl before he looked away, as though he didn't assume what he was about to say, "being teamed up with Maeda didn't help."

Maeda lowered her gaze, hiding a little blush.

"Honestly, it's too bad we didn't win, but overall, we didn't do too badly! Right, Maeda?"

At the friendly nudge, the girl flinched and fumbled for words. Being too accostumed to his harsh treatment, she didn't know how to respond to the bright smile he was giving her. She blushed even more and bit her lips before she mustered the courage to speak.

"...Um-Hm, Y-YES! I had fun playing!" She cried out loud while bowing in front of him. "REALLY! With you, Asaka-san and you, T-TAKEDA-KUN!"

"D-Don't be so loud and raise your head, i-it's getting embarrassing!"

Takeda pulled a face while Maeda nodded endlessly to his words.

Upon seeing them behaved like happy little kids, Ritsu smiled softly at them. She then whispered one silent apologize to the duo for having kept her injury secret from them. Despite her guilt, she, too, shared the same feeling as them. She did have fun playing.

Crossing the other side of the net, Akashi joined his teammates.

* * *

"Akashi-kun, you did well!" Momoi cheerfully greeted him back. "Till the end I didn't know who would win between your team and Asaka's!"

"Thank you, Momoi."

Akashi casted a glance at his back and looked at his ashblond-haired classmate for a couple of seconds.

"You had a hard time holding her off at times, Akashi when you have luck on your side. " Midorima chimed in, "Today, sagittarius are ranked second in Oha-asa Horoscope while Aries are nineth. By the way, Cancer are ranked fourth."

"Geez, Midorima-kun, why are you always like this?" The pink-haired girl told him off, both hands on her waist. "Wait a minute. Don't tell me that's why you were so confident about Akashi-kun's victory and had been so mean to Asaka-san?"

Midorima stared at the girl and gripped tightly his hand mirror, which didn't escape the girl's attention. "Oha-asa Horoscope is not to be taken lightly."

"As if it changes anything. Even at the fourth rank and with your stupid lucky item, like you could have done better against Asaka, Midorima! She would have beat you to a pulp. You saw her spikes just like me!" Aomine butted in, annoyed to hear the same tune from his teammate. To support his arguments, the tanned boy then suddenly reproduced the movement. "Wa-Shoo!"

The green-haired boy's eyebrow twitched, a closed face.

"Don't be embarrassed to admit her talent. She won't hear you!"

It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Midorima stomped toward Aomine, and the two of them started to bicker like two elementary kids. Without any explanation, their quarrel changed to basketball.

"A-Aomine-kun! Give him back his glasses!" Momoi yelped while seeing her childhood friend putting Midorima's glasses out of reach and waved them in the air. Not wanting the situation to degenerate, she turned to Akashi. "Akashi-kun, we need to do...Huh? Akashi-kun?"

The boy was nowhere around their perimeter. She looked around and spotted him talk with his P.E teacher. All of a sudden, a crashing sound shifted her gaze back to the two colorful heads near her.

Midorima's hand mirror was shattered to pieces. And needless to say that life was getting out of him at this instant, knowing how superstitious he could be. The fragments sparkled happily on the floor, even without his glasses Midorima could see them, his eyes were glued on them.

"Hey, you three! What is that all about?!" hollered their PE teacher, stomping angrily in their direction.

_You three_...Although she had nothing to do with this mess, she was lumped together with the two boys. Momoi sighed and wished Akashi had been there to, at least, speak up for her.

"...Boys are sometimes so troublesome."

* * *

**The end of the match was quick, I didn't want to drag on more than necessary. This chapter is already consequent to not add more details.**

**Next, some fluffy moment with Akashi in the nurse office... I'm joking.**


	10. For achieve

The acute pain stabbing her wrist, Ritsu glimpsed at their teacher with whom Akashi went to consult right after the game, and wondered about what she should do about her injury. In a cautious and discreet movement, she closed her right hand into a fist and then opened it, repeating it twice. The pain was bearable for the remaining time, although being conscious that some treatment would still be needed not to worsen it. Only thirty minutes remained until the end of class, she could just sneaked away and go treat her injury without alarming anyone, in particular Yagami.

As a fellow member of the volleyball club, Yagami would certainly not let it slide with the same calm. Definetely not at this period of time with the volleyball playoffs coming up. Of course, she didn't plan to hide it completely from the club, she couldn't manage such act, but she wished at least to cause the slightest commotion about it. Suffering this careless injury was enough trouble for herself not to add more.

As she walked up to the little group of girls, the other girls went to cheer her up, ignoring all about her sprain. While giggles and cheers tickled her ears in lightheartedness, she glanced at Yagami's reaction. A vague yet apparent suspicion restrained her joy to a very measured smile. By the look of things, the navy short-haired girl got suspicious of something. Ritsu gave her a friendly gaze as a simple response and avoided to prolong it more than necessary. Given the way she awfully played at the end, any observant eyes would have noticed that something was off about her, even if they didn't detect the injury. In fact, it would have been much stranger if Yagami didn't manifest this sort of reaction.

The smile shaping into a thick line, Yagami took few steps closer to her, with a question on the lips as it seems.

"Asaka, you–"

"Akashi-kun!" yelped suddenly a girl, bringing the group's attention to the red-haired boy.

As surprised as the rest, Ritsu could only gawk at him, half-listening to the girls' chirpy whispers around her, all wondering what business Akashi wanted with them. Once the surprise effect wore off, she didn't have to think hard to know the reason of his presence here. Yagami aside, if there was one person among all the students present in the gymnasium who might have been able to notice her sprain, it would be none other than Akashi.

"Asaka-san, I need you to come with me to the nurse office."

The little group of girls shouted their astonishment to everyone's ears. It didn't take more than a minute for numerous pairs of curious eyes turned their way.

Unfazed by the commotion, Akashi didn't try to say anything further, and earned a bit of gratitude from Ritsu for his silence. While he patiently waited for a response, she saw Yagami faintly motioning her head to tell her to accompany him. On her face, any trace of perplexity had been erased as Akashi undeliberately confirmed what she wanted to know.

"Did you get hurt Akashi-kun?" asked a girl as she approached him, a bit worried.

"I'm just taking some precautions."He fielded the question with a polite smile that left no room for another comment.

Enquiring looks circled around the girls. Before their curiosity took shape of words, Ritsu went ahead and accept to go in his company.

"We're going then."

* * *

Akashi slid open the door and announced their presence. As a deaf silence greeted them, Ritsu took a peek over his shoulders and scoped the place. There was no sign of the nurse inside. A suspicion of nervousness spreaded inside her body at the thought of being alone with Akashi. Far from disliking the idea itself, she just felt quite embarrassed for having Akashi witness this careless side of her. Whenever she thought about this peculiar action, she didn't regret it, nonetheless, to the root it still remained stupidly rash.

Inside, she sat on a stool near the nurse desk while Akashi took place across her.

"Let me see your wrist." He requested, going straight to the point.

"When did you notice?"

"Just after you fell. You avoided to use your right hand as seldom as possible and tried to play with you left hand. That said, it didn't require this much observation to notice it. Your general aptitudes dropped in both accuracy and power. Suffering from your injury, your team offensive turned up to be rather muddled and easy to counter."

Only a faint breath escaped her mouth, a mixture of disconcert and amazement seizing her throat. His observation was accurate on every points, and needless to say that it stirred her feelings up. Her intuition wasn't mistaken not to underestimate his power of observation on actual game. Akashi was able to catch sight of changes in a player's motion with an impressive accuracy. Admittedly her case was quite blatant to the eyes as he mentioned it, but as a fellow athlete, her respect for him remained intact. His ability was no fake nor a misplaced arrogance. In another context, the picture of him trying read the tide of a game through contstant and dynamic motions and used it to his advantage seemed to fit his poised nature in more than a way.

"You knew it all along and you didn't try to stop the game?" She asked out of curiosity.

Akashi replied nothing, continuing the examination.

Without insisting, Ritsu didn't miss the occasion of taking an up close look at the latter. Her gray-blue eyes defined his face contour. Round and delicately detailed, his traits had this innocence of youth. Yet, a subtle constrast shone in the depth of this hue of red, accentuating a deep-seated rigour and consciousness of the world, which naturally overwrote colors of insouciance and reflected a perfect composure. Now that she paid close attention to this subtlety, she came to understand the reason of his popularity among girls. His beauty was eye-catching and, behind his placid nature, a mysterious charm oozed from him. She just realised it. In class, she was more used of studying his back instead of his face.

"You didn't look so prone to do so." He eventually answered, focusing his attention back on her.

"Well, if I was told to stop, I wouldn't have gone against the decision. I'm much aware that it had been pretty reckless of me to keep playing in that state."

Akashi stood up and said as he reached the medicine cabinet.

"In that case, you should have immediately informed the teacher of your injury."

"We were nearing the match end, I thought it'd be okay to bear with it for the remaining time. Moreover, I didn't want to abandon Maeda and Takeda at this stage of the game. They'd have to play all over again with another member if I had given up."

Although she doubted their grades would be high considering the desperate play, just recalling the happy faces of the pair managed to bring him some little comfort. But she couldn't repress the urge to sigh. Inside her, still burned material for frustration.

"Exactly as I said. Your intentions were honorable, however, those actions might cost you a great deal, Asaka-san." Returning to his seat, Akashi grabbed her right arm and said, "The least I know, piano and volleyball are supposed to be played with both hands."

Without prior notice, he applied the cold compress on the swollen area. As sudden as his action came, the pain on her wrist was stabbing at her. Ritsu shrieked in pain, holding herself back from removing her hand. It lasted less than a minute before she could feel the cool touch on her skin.

"Y-You could have at least warned me...!" She reproached him in a pout.

Akashi removed his hands and let her hold onto the compress. The pain gradually subsiding, Ritsu concentrated on the refreshing sensation and forced a sigh of relief. Her sprain didn't look so serious. She was able to move her fingers without the usual pain, certainly was it due to the numbness caused by the ice but it was a good sign. If she rested her hand for a week, healing would not take much time. But this sentiment of relief was soon clouded by the sight of an incoming storm in the near futur. She knew people who would not share the same happiness concerning this injury. In a distant echo, she could already hear the coach, her teammates and the worst of all, her parents admonished her for her recklessness.

"...I'm in trouble with just one hand." And on top of that, she injured her dominant hand. Now that she thought about it, daily chores and task might reveal to be the greatest challenge. "By the time my hand heals, I'll certainly manage to draw perfect doodles with my left hand."

"You've learned your lesson." A faint smile cackled his stern expression. His light amusement caused a frown at first and then invited a smile on her face.

At this peaceful image of him, a light blush reddened her cheeks. A charming spell was definetely at work, but more rationally, her embarrassment was closer to shame than a fluffy feeling –Embarrassed to have offered such a poor challenge to Akashi because of that injury.

"I gave you a pathetic sight of myself. I wouldn't be surprised if the game wasn't up to your expectations."

"No, I did have fun." He shook his head. "For want of efficiency, your team managed well in teamwork. Your score is rather high compared to your team average level. Overall, you've all reached the best level that could be expected of a team like yours."

"No need to comfort me." She sheepishly smiled. "We'd still have difficulty to win considering the gap of level, although we made every effort. If I hadn't gone all out, I doubt it'd be that high. You really planned to crush us in the middle of the game. Your team shattered both our offensive and defense with such ease. You led your team in a remarquable way, Akashi-san, more than what I initially expected from you."

She didn't underestimate him at all, he only went beyond her own expectation. His tosses were flawless, so fine to the eyes that it attested of a good level of skills and so simple that even the most clumsy player could be successful in attack. His team coordination, although imperfect, revealed to be solid, leaving no flagrant openings to be fully exploited.

Not only did he led with talent, his individual skills were of the same quality. She still remembered the powerful precision of his serves on her hands. She didn't know where he drew such strength in him.

But all in all, Akashi had been outstanding on the court.

"I did what it takes to ensure victory, just as you. Your counter-offensive was quite impressive."

Despite the compliment, Ritsu couldn't completely accept it. Getting the best of everyone potential and ensuring victory with everyone's effort, that was the kind of player she inspired to be. And yet, she had been far from it.

"It helped narrow the gap but that's it. I had to take up the lead to the detriment of teamwork in order not be cornered while it was the main the requirement. Regardless, volleyball is a teamsport, I don't see the point to set teamwork aside to concentrate on a single player's ability."

"Nothing is wrong about it. Even in teamsports, many situations can demand of a player to rely on his own skills alone to benefit the team. Isn't it natural for players, precisely those who manifest great potential, to know when to put themselves before the team and use it to achieve victory?"

"If you ask me, individual skills should not take over teamwork."

"I reckon it to a certain extent, but those makes a player complete." Akashi bore his eyes into hers as though to read something in her. "You had a good occasion to turn the game over in your team's advantage with your serves."

Her lips parted opened. He wasn't mistaken when he said that those serves granted her an occasion to make happen a complete turnover. So yes, an occasion – But of not long-lasting impact, if she was to add something further.

"I don't think so. Teamwork aside, if I had continued on that momentum, I'd have used up all my ressources. And thus, create a wide opening for you. It may not look like it, but those serves requires a great deal strength and concentration. At my level, that was the wisest decision before doing anything...reckless..."

Considering what happened after, she contradicted her own argument. She wanted to be cautious and look who was the first idiot to get a sprain. However, her heart remained unchanged about her decision. May have she not gotten this injury, she truly believed of having taken the best course of action for her team. Instead of exhausting all of her ressources in one go, using them all along the game allowed her to perform at her best level in a more longer period of time. And more importantly, it also benefited teamwork, just as required.

"Do you know where your limits are, Asaka-san?" enquired Akashi, his gaze becoming intense.

The question coming out of nowhere, a stem of confusion sprouted in her mind, which surely didn't escape the latter. Naturally, she was conscious of how far she could push her efforts to achieve, or else she'd only waste them.

"One's limits are only subjective. Except body limits, there's none to one's potential." He explained, though its effect only confused Ritsu even more.

The girl gaped and searched in the cristallin deep red of his gaze the meaning of his words. Was he implying she didn't do the necessary to win?

Akashi began to compress her wrist and locked eyes with her. A glimmer of mystery lit up the red of his eyes in a beautiful yet impenetrable shade.

"So, if I may add one last thing, Asaka-san. You shouldn't belittle yourself."

"...Again with that? Sure I have my doubt over few things but I do have confidence in myself."

"I'm not saying the contrary. However, the only thing I can say about you as an athlete is that so far, you're not weak but not strong either."

Ritsu was at a loss of words. She was well-consicous that even after being able to play as a regular, it didn't make an exceptional volleyball player or whatsoever. She still had a lot to learn to become stronger, hence the fact she wasn't weak but not strong either. That was obvious, but then why did it sound like an offense in her ears? Besides, was his piece of advice really that important to have been told twice?

"Done."

Leaving aside her thoughts, Ritsu checked the neat work on her wrist. As expected of him, only praise could reward his efforts. Glints of happiness sparkled in her eyes. Seeing her injury treated she felt like a weight had gone off her heart.

"Er, thanks for the trouble, Akashi-san. I totally screwed up this time, didn't I?"

The red-haired boy tilted his head in a vague manner. "It was kind of cute to see."

"D...Did you just say c-cute?" She fumbled on the peculiar word, blood rushing up her cheeks.

"Yes, cute. You didn't misheard."

At this blunt confirmation, her blush tinged in brighter colors.

"Oh, I've never imagined you could utter such a word so spontaneously...B-But thank you."

He simply nodded. "Furthermore, I find it pleasant to talk with you."

"Likewise, if you ever feel the need to talk to me, you know where to find me."

"The other way around is also possible."

The simplicity of his smile robbed her of any superficial words. Ritsu accepted their newly born friendship with delight, though still a bit destabilized by their whole conversation.

She could add an alien in her friend list now.

* * *

**Akashi and Asaka attained support level C.**


	11. A promise

Basketball practice had just finished. After getting changed, a group of colored hair were walking to the school gate, chatting about the upcoming school festival that would take place soon.

"Murasakibara-kun, what are your class planning to do for the festival?"

"duwnow... somwfing wfith 'nimwal...mway...be..." slured a tall boy with purple hair as he was chewing his snack.

"Speak properly, would you?" Midorima told him off because of his lack of manner. "And how can you eat so much? Before practice you devored a whole potato chips packet!"

The boy vaguely shook his head before gulping what he was eating, licking his thumb.

"Huh? How...? I just eat when I'm hungry. 'Don't need another reason. Look, this is a new flavor." The lazy boy took partially a potato chips packet out of his school bag. "It's really good. Maybe I'll stop at the convenience store to buy more."

Midorima stayed silent preferring to abbreviate the conversation.

"You should stop that habit of eating. What if you get fat?" retorted Momoi in her manager mode. In response he just nodded and took a maiubo in the box he was holding in his arm. The girl surrendered.

"Where do you even get the money to buy all these snacks?" Aomine asked, a brow raised.

"With my pocket money... But Aka-chin buy me some when I'm with him. I get to eat a lot of new snacks." Murasakibara slowly took a bite without adding more, leaving his teamates quite shocked by his innocent reply.

"Hey Akashi!" The latter brought his attention to Midorima who shot daggers at him."Why do you incite him in eating?"

"He looks happy when he eats."

"Seriously? He doesn't look like it. He always has the same face." Aomine put a hand behind his head and starred at the tall boy.

"Mine-chin stop staring at me." Annoyed, Murasakibara glared at him.

"He really looks happy..." said sacarstically Aomine and muttered to himself : "...he's more like a starving animal."

"You're spoiling him! Because of you he's eating too much!"

"It's not like I'm buying him snack everyday. But Midorima is right, you shouldn't eat that much, Murasakibara. It's unhealthy."

"You're too loud, Mido-chin." Uspet for being reprimanded by Akashi, he poked the glasses boy's cheek with a maiubo, making blood rushed to Midorima's head. "Eat. You're bothering everyone."

As Murasakibara kept poking his cheek, Midorima snatched his snack and threw it as far as possible.

"Midorima, wasting food is no good." said Akashi in a calm tone.

"My maiubo...!" Murasakibara's eyes followed helplessly the flying snack going straight to an innocent victim.

"Oooh...! Asaka-san, watch out for the maiubo!" Momoi yelled at the girl deaf to her shout. "...Aaah?" Her mouth wide open, astonished when Ritsu bowed to pick up a falling sheet of paper she was reading and thus avoided the flying snack that hit a poor guy instead.

"Woooah! Who the hell throw this maiubo?!" The colored haired group heard the maiubo victim shouting and looking for the culprit before he gave up, rubbing the back of his head.

"She's very lucky." Momoi grinned nervously, still dumbfounded at her stroke of luck.

Ritsu stared at them cluelessly as the group rushed to her. "That's not very nice to throw food at someone."

"We're so sorry, Asaka-san!" Momoi apologised in behalf of Midorima and Murasakibara. "It's just Midorima-kun losing his calm!"

She glanced at the culprit and smiled. "I'm not the one you should apologise for. I didn't get hurt."

"I tried to warn you but you didn't hear me..." The light pink girl scratched her cheek with her finger.

"Oh! So it was you who were yelling? I'm sorry I didn't pay attention."

"Hehe... Who would expect a flying maiubo?" The two girls laughed at the same time. The thought of flying maiubo was so stupid.

"Who is she?" Murasakibara asked his teammates as his hand tried to pick a maiubo in the box.

"Asaka Ritsu. You know we talked about her last time." Aomine grinned, happy to meet her again.

"Eh...That's her. The one who lost to Aka-chin at... At what?"

"Volleyball." Ritsu answered him in a soft voice. "You must be Murasakibara-san?"

The giant boy nodded in a lazy manner. "Asa-chin, you're in the volleyball club, right?"

"Yes. «Asa-chin»...?" She repeated after him, surprised by his familiarity.

"Asaka, if it inconveniences you, make it clear or he won't stop!" intervened Midorima.

"Not at all. I kind of like it. It's not everytime I'm being called in such cute way. «Asa-chin»..."

"That's not something you should be happy for."

She chuckled and gazed at them. For the first time, she had a glimpse of those four first-years who turned upside-down the basketball club. Red, green, blue, purple and pink. All together they formed a rather colorful bunch.

"Now that I think about it. Asaka-san, you're addressing people in a very polite way. Can I call you «Asaka-chan»?" Momoi's face got closer to her with glittering eyes when Aomine popped in the conversation cutting her off before she could answer Momoi.

"Yeah, you're way too stiff! What's with the «-san»? We're the same age, you know." His teeth showed as his grin widened. "And we're not strangers anymore!"

He got a smile out of her at the fact they were no longer just acquaintance. She truly appreciated Aomine's spontaneity.

"Then I'll take you at word. I hope others won't mind."

"Like you should care about them! You don't need their permission! Just say everything that cross your mind!"

"Mine-chin, are you trying to make her stupid?"

Murasakibara took a last bite of his maiubo before Aomine made a steal, the box landed on Midorima's hand who caught it by reflex. The green haired boy jerked and threw it to Aomine who yelled back for not keeping it with him.

A dark aura emanated from Murasakibara, having his precious food tossed around was unforgivable. His long arms tried to snatch the box but Aomine reacted too fast. And it went on just like that.

"...Shouldn't we stop them?" asked Ritsu witnessing their childish display.

"Don't mind them! Nothing good happened when you try to meddle in a boy's quarrel."

"You're speaking from experience..."

She glanced around, Akashi as well wasn't prone to put an end to their childish argument. Instead he pretended not to see and spoke to her :

"You went to practice?"

"Yes. Nothing to worry. I just went to observe."

While she gestured, her bandaged wrist could be seen under her blue shirt.

"Don't tell me it was from «that» time?" Momoi cried aloud with a hand before a mouth. "So that's why Akashi-kun and you slipped out of the gym after the game!"

Two days had past since then. Few were aware of her injury, only the volleyball club and Akashi.

"That's what happened when you're too reckless. Did your club said anything?" Midorima was a bit concerned about her.

"The coach was really mad. He lectured me for almost one hour in front of everyone." Thinking about it, she chuckled. Her coach face was so red that she could have even seen smoke out of his ears, but at that time there was nothing to be laughing at. "And I was kicked out of the club two days in a row. Today the captain exceptionaly allowed my presence, so I stayed behind to observe."

"You take it well given you can't play for a while."

"I can't complain. It was my mistake." Although she said that, her hands and legs were itching to play volleyball and piano. "And if I were to complain, that would be the end of me."

"Why's that?" More interested in the conversation than his little quarrel with Murasakibara, he gave the maiubo box back to the giant boy.

"...I had to write an essay to reflect on my action..."

"What, for your coach?"

She was relunctant to answer the dark blue haired boy as she already predicted their reaction. "No, my parents..."

The group was speechless, then Aomine suddenly burst out of laugh, his hand on his belly and his mouth wide open, followed by a shy Momoi who tried to conceal her laugh. Midorima pushed his glasses, avoiding eye contact but Ritsu could perceive a vague smile on his lips. Murasakibara didn't move one bit, his face was completly frozen. And Akashi bored a very surprised expression like he expected anything but that.

"You-You-You write an essay to your...pa-pa-parents?!" Aomine couldn't get over with. "That's too hilarous! Ahaha! That's the first time I hear something like this!"

"...D-Don't laugh please. Each time I'd complained they raised the number of page. At the beginning it was only three pages but it was raised to seven pages."

"So that's what you were doing during class. You made quite a ruckus behind my back." Akashi said calmly as he finally found the reason of her incessant scratching these past days.

"I have a hard time writing it with my left hand, you know..."

"«have»? You mean you're still at it?"

Unintentionally Akashi added more to her embarrassement and Aomine got even louder.

"My father won't read it... He said my writing sucked so much that it was not worthy to be read. And according to my mother, it was too disgraceful from a girl like me. So I have no choice but to rewrite it until they are satisfied..."

The day of her injury, her parents took the news more quietly than she had imagined but that was just appearance, their demand proved it, through this essay they emphasized on her lack of discernment and refinement. Otherwise, they wouldn't keep nagging her for something trivial.

"It must be tough!" Momoi wiped a tear in the corner of her eye as she tried to get a hold of herself.. "But what are those music sheets for?

"Since I can't play piano, I can only read them and play in my head."

"Is it your parents' extra work?" Midorima asked very serious.

"No, it's on my own volition. I miss playing piano."

Seeing her soft expression, the five teenagers could felt her love for the piano as they couldn't help but faintly smile.

"You really love piano, Asaka-chan."

"Of course."

"I thought you were playing volleyball to relieve the pressure on you."

"Where did you hear it, Midorima-sa...kun?"

He rolled his eyes, instead Momoi answered. "That's what rumors say. Volleyball is just a way for you to forget your burden."

"No way! Doesn't that make me sound like I do half-assed things!" She was shocked. She didn't really listen rumors about her but she didn't expect them to be so uncool.

"You're only bothered by that?" Aomine placed a hand on his waist tilting his head. "People are looking down on you Asaka. If it were me, I would show them what I'm made of!"

Aomine was right.

Those kind of rumors wouldn't exist if she hadn't hide herself behing an ordinary mask. From what Momoi said, she was like a pitiful girl who was crushed by her parents'authority and tried to escape reality with anything else but piano.

Ritsu was a bit offended but she couldn't resign to impose herself on others for trivialities.

"By your look, you won't do anything." Midorima glared at her before losing interest.

"Sort of. I don't need to prove myself for those who can't value my talent."

"True enough. But for once I agree with Aomine. You should learn to impose yourself more if you're doing sports. It irritates me to see you so weak while you can eventually prove the contrary."

"Eh...Mido-chin, are you complimenting her?"

"I'm giving her a piece of advice."

"...Well, if she's so weak, then she should just stop volleyball."

"Murasakibara-kun!" Momoi told him off as he was going too far.

As she heard the word «piece of advice», her widened eyes dropped on Akashi who didn't say a single thing, remaining quiet as ever.

"_You shouldn't belittle yourself._" She finally figured out his piece of advice thanks to his teammates.

She raised her head high and faced them with a confident smile.

"I won't put any effort to stop those unfounded rumors in vain. Nevertheless, I won't mind proving myself to you all."

"Ah! That's more than enough! Show us who Asaka Ritsu really is!"

Aomine and her bumped their fists together, the rest cracked a smile at their enthousiasm. Under the sunset coloring the sky in a beautiful and hazy orange, she promised to show her determination to them...to her friends. Perhaps it would take time, a very long time before she could truly prove herself to them but it wasn't a bad prospect. She had an interesting goal to accomplish during those three years.

"Here, Asa-chin." Murasakibara gave her one of his maiubo.

"Thank you." Accepting the snack, she realized something about them. "First Akashi-kun with a chocolate bar, then Momoi-chan with her lunch and now Murasakibara-kun. I'm always receving food from you at first meeting, do I look like that pitiful?..."

"See. Aka-chin isn't giving food only to me." Murasakibara noted with a satisfied smile on his lips as he glared at Midorima who had tried to dissuade Akashi to buy him snacks."But you're really lucky to have snack without asking..."

"I don't think I'd be happy to receive food from Satsuki." muttered Aomine.

"That's because you can't appreciate healthy food. For you, it's only meat!" pouted Momoi folding her arms and turning her head from him.

"That's true. I remember. During lunch, Mine-chin gave all his vegetables to Mido-chin when he had his back turned." Aomine gestured, waving his end in front of the purple haired boy but it was too late as Midorima shouted in shock, approaching the culprit to beat him up.

"I knew something was wrong when I could not finish my meal!"

"What! You eat almost nothing!" Aomine exclaimed in his turn.

"It's more than enough. Contrary to you, I eat proper meal! You and Murasakibara ought to eat more vegetables!" Midorima pointed angrily his finger at both of them.

"What the heck!"

"Mido-chin, the other day, you were scolded by Aka-chin because you didn't eat much... So I won't listen to you."

"What kind of logic is that?!"

"Akashi-kun, I think it's time you say something or they'll go on." Momoi whispered to him.

"I don't need to. They get along just fine."

"...Sometimes I wonder if it isn't just laziness..." She mumbled as he smirked at her pout while gazing at his loud teammates.

The scene before her cracked a smile on her lips, their strong bond reminded a little of her volleyball team. The senpai were always making a fuss and always teased the newcomers, espescially Hoshino and the captain.

"AASAAKAA RIIITSSUU!"

Just when she thought of her, Ritsu flinched at her sight as her captain took a sprint in her direction.

"Who told you to leave club activities earlier?! We have a mixer after! I allowed you to observe only if you come! Where's your honooor?!"

"Who's that fury? An acquaintance of yours?" asked Midorima glimpsing at the fast running girl.

"Er, the volleyball captain, Hibari Masame..."

She'd better not stayed there any longer or she would get into trouble.

"I-I have to go. I'll leave the rest to you. I have to come home early."

Without letting the group say a single word, she fled quickly while waving at them.

"What do you mean by «the rest»?!" Midorima yelled at her, unpleased by the idea.

"Hey you guys! Don't just stand there! Stop her!"

A few seconds after she fled, her captain stopped before the group, catching her breath. Apparently she came after Ritsu when practice ended as she was still wearing her sports clothes, her hair tied in a long braid.

"Y...You'd...all...better take responsability...!"

"For what?" dared to ask Aomine.

"For letting her escape...! Asaka was our hope to attract guys! Guys seems to like refined girls like her."

The group couldn't bring themselves to raise their voice as it sounded so stupid, while the tall brown haired girl eyed them thoroughly, her hand under the chin, inspecting each of the colorful heads.

"You'll do the trick! You are the first-years of the basketball club that everyone's talking about. You all be a hit at the mixer! Ah, I'm looking forward!"

"I refuse. I don't understand why we should take Asaka's place." Midorima turned her down immediately.

"A mixer? I prefer playing basketball instead." Aomine added, not interested at all.

"Will there be snacks?" Murasakibara asked innocently.

"I have to decline. I have other business I need to attend." Akashi rejected politely her invitation.

Momoi was the only left, she lowered her eyes shyly, tapping her forefingers together. "I'm actually not used to those kind of things..."

Aomine, Murasakibara, Midorima and Momoi flinched at her death glare worried as she began to laugh alone.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you right. Can you repeat that AGAIN?" As she emphasized on the last word, her face drew closer to the five teenagers.

"Hibari! What are you doing scaring off the first years?"

Luckily for the them, a familiar face came to their rescue. It was Nijimura Shūzō, the basketball captain.

"Teaching them how to take responsability as they let escape my sweet kōhai!"

The basketball captain raised an brow, glancing around the group. "Ah? Don't tell me, Hoshino and you are still at it."

"You know us well, Nijimura! Wanna tag along? For old time's sake. "

"No but take care of them. If something were to happen to them, I'd have trouble later." His casual reply threw them off as they were counting on him to persuade the girl to let them go.

"Count on me!" Hibari raised her thumb with a evil grin.

As their captain was about to leave, Akashi called out to him.

"Nijimura-san, I need to talk to you concerning basketball practice."

"Make it quick."

"I'll explain but not here."

Nijimura shrugged and suggested him to talk on the way home. Thus Akashi successfully avoided being dragged to the mixer and split from his teammates baffled at his close escape.

"Akashi, you sly bastard! You won't get away like this!" Aomine wasn't being fooled by the red haired boy's act. He rushed to his captain and his teammate who intended to leave them behind with some crazy girl.

"Don't forget about us!" Momoi took advantage of this and ran after her childhood friend, followed promptly by Midorima and Murasakibara.

The poor volleyball captain couldn't do anything, having enough to run after people. She breathed a very long sigh while gazing at her colorful chance slipped from her fingers. Maybe another time.

Meanwhile, on her way home, Ritsu was reading her music sheets when her phone vibrated.. She took a look at the name, it was a mail from Hoshino. Suddenly her face became pale.

"_Brace yourself, Asaka! I'll make you regret your little sprain._" was the message she read with a cute little heart at the end. Even though it was Hoshino's number, the one behind it was her captain. She clapped her phone and put back in her bag looking up at the sky.

She swore to never, ever be injured because of her recklessness.


	12. Nonchalant purple

In a good mood, Ritsu was humming a song while she headed to the music room. The pain in her wrist had subsided, it wasn't completely healed but at last she could use her right hand again for her daily life and more importantly she could write. Today was the end of this bloody essay.

For almost one week, her parents nagged her for her lack of diligence, indifferent to her injury as they kept pushing her to rewrite it again and again. Because of that she was able to write a little with her left hand, even though it was still scribbles.

In retrospect, that was actually the first time they were so harsh on her. She understood their cold treatment, somehow they truly cared about her. If that wasn't the case, they could have ignored her or implied to quit her volleyball club. Fortunately, she was a loved child. However they could have expressed their love in a different way...What kind of parents would give a writing essay as a punishment?.. Particulary when the injury was a wrist sprain.

Ritsu laughed internally when she remembered the dumbfounded faces of her new friends from the basketball club, even Akashi wasn't able to keep a poker face. Thinking of him, she wondered if he would mind being treat for a lunch one day...given the fact he had tried to refuse a simple drink, so a meal was maybe too much.

These past few days, Akashi had been a great help to her for lessons by giving her his notes everyday when class was dismissed. His initiative was very troubling at first, for the simple reason she didn't ask for his help.

One day he turned to her, suggesting her to take his note home without adding more. His help was welcomed yet she accepted with some relunctance, minding he might need it later with midterm exams coming soon. Akashi brushed it off, explaining that listening to class was actually enough for him and his notes was just a precaution.

That was Akashi in all its splendour. A boy gifted in both academics and sport. No wonder he was so fascinating to common people.

Little she knew about him but the more she talked to him, the less she was able to look away from him. Had she never spoken to him, this nascent admiration wouldn't even exist.

Losing herself in sentimental thought, she inadvertently bumped into someone. By reflex, she turned to the person to apologise but there was no one above the staircase. She blinked several time while looking behind her, certain she had bumped into someone...or something else perhaps. At that thought, she nervously smiled, trying to keep a minimum of rationality.

"Asa-chin...What a coincidence."

In a jolt, she drew her attention to the familiar voice. Murasakibara was standing at the bottom of the staircase, completely depressed. His half-opened violet eyes were slightly narrowed, seemingly upset by something.

"You're not eating yet?" She asked while going down the stairs.

"I forgot my wallet..." He pouted.

"Why not asking Akashi-kun or Midorima-kun? They certainly won't refuse to treat you for once."

"I didn't find Aka-chin." He pouted even more. "And Mido-chin said it was divine retribution, so he won't help me."

Somehow Ritsu smiled nervously on how silly it sounded. "«D-Divine retribution»..." She repeated in low voice as she could perfectly imagine Midorima spouting this kind of nonsense. "W-What about Momoi-chan or Aomine-kun?"

Murasakibara shook his head very slowly. "Mine-chin is broke... Luckily Momo-chin gave me some candies but..."

"That wasn't enough, I suppose?" He responded with a nod, his eyes downed to her, staring vacantly.

"Then I'll share my lunch with you. I didn't eat yet."

Gawking, Murasakibara's half opened eyes widened and sparkled with happiness. His expression were easy to understand. Like an innocent child, his emotions were simply revealed on his face.

"You're kind, Asa-chin."

"Let's say that I know what it is to be starving during a whole day." She replied with a chuckle. "Shall we go then?"

* * *

As they stepped into the music room, a grin showed on her lips. Because of her injury, she prevented herself from coming into that room during her free time, knowing she would eventually be frustrated. She really missed its quiet atmosphere.

However piano was not a priority at the present time, she had an hungry giant with her to feed. She laid the lunch box wrapping cloth on a desk and placed carefully the food.

Before Murasakibara's glittering eyes, the first box were filled with white rice, on top of it a small square of seaweed and sprinkled sesame; in the second were displayed meat balls, fried omelet and pickles. Ritsu opened a separate box where onigiri were line up.

She looked up to him and smirked as Murasakibara was almost drooling in hunger.

"Here, you take the small fork and me the chopsticks."

It was time to dig in.

"It's simple but help yourself."

The giant boy took a bite of the fried omelet, his face lit up with satisfaction as he grabbed an onigiri. "Ich gwood."

"Glad to hear it."

While they were eating, the silence took place between them but neither of them felt awkward. They both enjoyed the meal in silence. Ritsu looked up sometimes to Murasakibara who didn't stop eating as he was very hungry.

"It's quiet here." Murasakibara broke the silence, giving a look around the room.

"Do you mind?"

He shook slowly his head. "Nah. I like it when it's quiet. I don't have to hear annoying things."

"Do you mean rumors about you?"

"Hm. They talk to much. It's annoying."

"I kind of understand you. But you really stand out, Murasakibara-kun."

Among the four, Murasakibara Atsushi was the most surprising she had met. He was quite well-know at school given his giant body, he was taller than the average boys of his age and inevitably he stood out in the crowd of tiny students because of his height.

She caught a sight of him several times before her actual meeting five days ago. From afar, he gave off the same laid-back attitude as now, walking nonchalantly with a disinterested look on his face as if passion never lit in his eyes. Every of his movement were kind of slow, making the least effort in everything he did. «Effort» was that word even in his vocabulary? Was what she wondered during her brief observations.

When she heard he had joined the basketball club and was actually part of those famous freshmen in the first string, she was stumped as she had a precise image of him. It was mean to think that way but she couldn't imagine a nonchalant boy like him in a dynamic sport like basketball.

Although her opinion of him was mixed, she appreciated him as an individual. In spite having the body of a grown man, his mind was the same of a child. This constrast surprised her at first but his innocence were cute...with few minor exceptions.

"It's not my fault if everyone is so small." He blurted it out before he gulped down an onigiri, then glanced at what he would pick next. "But Asa-chin, you're taller than other girls."

She was taller than standard girls but compared to Murasakibara, she was still very far to be considered a giant girl unlike her senpai Hoshino who was the tallest girl in school.

Murasakibara tilted his head. "Is that why you're playing volleyball?"

Ritsu mirrored him. "Not quite. It's true height is advantageous in volleyball but I joined for the simple reason I love it."

His lips pouted, keeping the small fork pressed onto his chin. "Hm...Mido-chin told me you play piano very well. He said he liked the sound of your playing."

A light flush were revealed on her cheeks. "Coming from Midorima-kun, that's quite the compliment..." She paused, trying to get back to their conversation. "But I don't understand your point. Why are you referring to my piano skill?"

He tilted to one side then to another, thinking on how to put his thought into words. "Asa-chin is skilled in piano but not in volleyball."

Her brow were twitching nervously as she almost lose her temper, feeling the urge to reply something. She was aware of his bluntness yet it didn't mean she was indifferent to his curt remarks. It was the second time she had been looked down by him, the first time was during their first meeting, when he told her straight to quit volleyball if she was weak.

"What make you think that way?"

"You lost to Aka-chin in volleyball." She gave him a suspicious look, waiting more of him but nothing came.

"Is losing making me weak?"

"Hm...Maybe. Even though you're in the volleyball club, you didn't win."

Ritsu sighed and leaned on the chair crossing her arms. She had forgotten those words :"Ever victorious", striving for and only victory, that was Teikō's motto.

Every club was following it included the volleyball club but only the basketball club truly embodied the school's principle by making it into the top five of the best basketball clubs in the country.

Yet she had a problem with the sole purpose of victory. Weakest were bound to give up and strongest remained, such was the pressure most could feel. Links, hardships, enjoyment, everything was just secondary. That was the compensation to victory.

Ritsu, like anybody else, sought victory but not to the extent of sacrificing her youth. Victory was just the next step after hardwork.

"You're angry, Asa-chin?" asked Murasakibara fidgeting on his chair, frustrated of having finished all the food as he was still angry.

"A bit. I don't really like the way you're denying my effort."

"I don't understand...Asa-chin is playing piano perfectly without doing effort so why bother with volleyball?"

There was no point in getting angry with him. More than words, Murasakibara seemed to be more receptive to acts. So for now she had to bear with it.

"I said it, I love volleyball as much as piano. But if you want a more serious answer then I would say volleyball is my present and piano my future."

The giant boy frowned trying to catch what she had just said. His reaction got a smile out of her in spite the slightly tensed atmosphere between them.

"Asa-chin, you're talking like Aka-chin..." He noted with a pouting expression.

What a silly thought. Akashi was one of kind to actually be associate with an ordinary girl like her.

"Ah! Speaking of Akashi-kun, do you know where he goes during lunch time?" Murasakibara was his teammate, so maybe she could get a lead of his habits.

"Huh, Aka-chin?..." He looked up to the ceiling in reflexion. "Dunno. Outside basketball practice, I don't see him that often. Instead shouldn't Asa-chin know better being in the same class?"

He got a point. They had became a little close, chatting together when the opportunity arose, but they were still not close to the point where they shared time outside the classroom.

"He rarily stays in the classroom. So I thought he might eat with you guys of the basketball club."

Murasakibara shook his head. "Most of the time we spend time on our own. But Mido-chin might know. Those two get along well... Hum...Why are you asking about Aka-chin?" The purple haired boy wondered curiously.

"I intend to treat him to lunch someday to thank him for his help but..."

She picked his interest, Murasakibara fixed her with his full attention which kind of made her nervous.

"He would probably decline." In fact she didn't own him anything, he offered his help on his own initative. It was merely politness from her part. She couldn't bring herself to be ungrateful when others showed her kindness.

"Aka-chin is like that."

"That's what makes it so difficult..." She mumbled putting her left hand under the chin. "Plus he isn't the type to forget his lunch or his wallet. Otherwise I might have a chance he'd accept."

As she let escape the thought, Murasakibara was looking at the small lunch boxes, now empty, and then his gaze returned back on Ritsu. "I can help you, Asa-chin."

"For what?" She inquired, noticing a peculiar glint in those nonchanlant purple orbs.

"Make Aka-chin accept your invitation." He replied, a little smile distorting his flat traits. "I can make sure he won't have a lunch or his wallet with him."

"Y-You take me seriously...?!" She just blurted out her thought, she never expected Murasakibara to take it literally.

"To thank you for today. Asa-chin is kind."

"...You're welcome. But are you really going to do it?" She still didn't believe her ears.

"Yes."

"Do you have an idea in mind?"

"I don't know...Maybe I can try to take his wallet. That way you're free to invite him."

"M-Murasakibara-kun, that's stealing...You can't do that."

"No, if I give him back later then it's just borrowing."

She laughed nervously. Although Murasakibara seemed dense at first, he was in fact quite clever. The boy before her never ceased to surprise her. She wasn't wrong when she thought he was the most surprising.

"It won't be easy. Akashi-kun is always on guard." Given the giant body of Murasakibara, she doubted he would be able to proceed smoothly...and discreetly. Moreover at first sight, delicacy and subtility didn't appear to be his best point.

That detail made her worry.

Murasakibara shrugged it off and looked away. While noticing that faint sign of disinterest, Ritsu mused on him.

She didn't take it bad, murasakibara only suggested his help and the longer she waited the more he'll lose interest.

"Murasakibara-kun, do you have a cell phone?"

He nodded.

"Let's exchange numbers. That way, you'll know when I need your help."

"Okay."

* * *

Murasakibara is finally introduced~! And what can be better than a scheme against an alien to create a strong bond? Aha.

To be continued~

Thank you all for reading my story and for the reviews!


	13. A prince, a princess and a witch

The school festival would be held in three weeks, in late june. Rain was pouring outside, drops were clattering against the class windows but it wasn't enough to bring the excited students down.

Early may, the entire class decided to perform a play at the festival, hence today was a special class hour to decide which play they would perform and assign roles among her classmates.

The two class representatives, who were Akashi and a glasses girl, were in charge of the upcoming preparations under the supervision of their homeroom teacher, sitting quietly in a corner of the classroom.

"Whoever have a suggestion, please raise your hand. Yoshiwara-san will write them on the board and we will decide by a vote." Announced Akashi clearly, standing at the front dest, unpertubed as ever. "And note, we won't take in consideration any eccentric suggestions. Then let's begin."

Some students were sharing opinions between them. From plays taken from japanese folklore like the princess Kaguya to more classical one like Cindrella, everyone began to get excited as ideas fused across the classroom but none were directly suggested to Akashi and Yoshiwara.

"«The Sleeping Beauty»!" shouted a boy in a jest, unexpectedly supported by the class. Everyone sounded enthusiastic at the named play.

"Wait. Isn't it a little too boring? Look the princess sleeps almost the entire play!" replied back some recalcitrants. "I think we should at least do something more impressive."

"And what exactly?" asked a girl.

"Change the play or add some actions!" was the vague answer she got.

A girl with braids stood up abruptly from her chair and gestured vehemently. "Oh! Wait, wait, I see it coming! Amazing fight between the Prince and the Witch's minions!"

"Does the Witch even have minions?"

"Don't forget it's a love story, Honda!"

Honda began to sneer. "A love story with epic action scenes!"

"You've got it wrong, Honda. It should be an epic love story with action scenes!"

Akashi and Yoshiwara exchanged looks before he called for order. "It seems it won't be necessary to have a vote. Any other suggestions? If not, we'll proceed."

The class quieted down adding nothing more. Only Honda had difficulties to remain calm, fidgeting in impatience to get to the role assignment.

"Then our play will be «The Sleeping Beauty»." Under the title play, Yoshiwara began to write down on the board the leading and secondary roles while Akashi continued to give instructions. "The cast will be determined by drawing lots. Everyone will write down their name on a piece of paper and I will collect them afterward in two differents boxes. One for boys, another for girls."

"Say Akashi-kun, are you also participating in the drawing?" asked curiously a girl.

"Yes. As far as I am concerned, I'm part of this class. Yoshiwara-san is also in." His reply made some girls giggled, amused by his formality. Like they said, his poised personality was his charming point.

A few minutes later, Akashi and Yoshiwara finished collecting the pieces of paper. The glasses girls clapped her hand together, drawing the class attention to the board. "So between the Prince and Princess role, which one are we drawing first?"

"The Prince role!" shouted unanimously half of the girls of the class, making jump the boys who yelled back at them, annoyed by the sudden ruckus.

At their fervent response, Yoshiwara plunged her hand inside the boy box, shook the contenant and picked a piece of paper. Every girls were carefully watching her unfolding it, forgetting to even breath so focused on the white paper. The glasses girl froze when she saw his name, her eyes looked up in disbelief. The prince role would be play by him...

"A-Akashi Seijūrō." She stuttered while reading the piece of paper.

A loud shout echoed in the classroom when his name was revealed. Everyone was dumbfounded, the girls who held a tiny hope that his name would show up had their mouth agape. Even the unfazed Akashi had lost his composure while confirming his own name on the piece of paper, not expecting such twist of fate.

Ritsu stared at him stupidly, unable to comment on the situation. Honestly everyone could almost laugh their ass off at that surprising turn of event. Akashi in the role of a sweet prince...

Unthinkable.

"Akashi-kun is the prince?!"

"No way~! It's like a dream coming true."

The girls's excitation reached its peak, their prince was the best prince they could ever dream on.

"You can refuse, Akashi-kun." whispered Yoshiwara. "Playing a leading role with your obligations at the basketball club including the preparation of the festival, it'll probably be hard on you."

"No need to worry. I'll be fine. And concerning the formalities, we are two. I'll be counting on you." With a simple smile he brushed off her worries.

Hiding her blush, Yoshiwara clapped her hands to have the calm back. "N-Now that our prince has been chosen, it's time for the princess."

Intense stares had their full attention on the girl box, each girls hoped their name would be announced and thus becoming Akashi's princess. As he picked a piece of paper, the atmosphere was palpable, everyone waited for his next words. Prayers could almost be heard.

After a glance at the name, he revealed the girl's name.

"Himeno Reiko."

All eyes fell upon her, the girl smirked and let out a faint cry of joy. She was the one who would share the same stage with Akashi.

For the rest, the final result was hard to swallow as their tiny hope had completly disappeared.

Himeno didn't care about the envious stare, she stood up and bowed slightly. "Akashi-kun and «I» will do our best. I hope you'll support us to the end. Right, everyone?"

A dark aura emanated from all the girls, she had done it on purpose. The haughty tone she used to emphasize on herself with Akashi drove the girls crazy. All had the same thought, instead of the princess, she would be better off playing as the evil witch.

"The lifeless princess will be played by Himeno-san." declared Yoshiwara, writing the name on the board.

"Lifeless?!" she shouted back at Yoshiwara's slip of tongue.

"Oups. I used the wrong word." She feigned a mistake from her part. "Oh well, what's the difference? Lifeless, sleeping, the princess is still lying on a bed most of the time."

Better not pick on Yoshiwara, Ritsu noted, a smile on the corner of her mouth. Like her, the girls and the boys chuckled, trying to stay discreet to avoid death glares from Himeno.

Her sarcasm calmed the atmosphere. The princess sit down, crossing her arms in a pout while some of her classmates tried to comfort her.

And the drawing lots took up again with the Witch role. Contrary to the Princess role, every girls prayed to not be picked. Yoshiwara unfolded the piece of paper and showed it to Akashi who smirked.

"Asaka Ritsu is the witch!" revealed cheerfully the glasses girl.

What did she do to deserve such a role? She wanted a minor role like the Queen or the fairies or simply not participate in the play and content herself with a part in the backstage team.

Observing her classmates' mixed reaction, most were amused by the drawing, the rest sympathized with her for playing the Witch role.

"For the fairies..."

"Hold on! Can I make a suggestion?" A girl raised her hand.

"Yes. What is it?" inquired Akashi.

"Concerning the Princess and the Witch distribution role, I suggest we switch roles. I think Himeno would be a better witch than Asaka and vice versa..."

The class supported loudly her idea. Ritsu was even more uncomfortable, she was definitely against playing the princess role. That role was too bothersome in many ways. First it was a leading role, secondly the princess was too passive and thirdly Akashi, the prince itself, would outshine her like the rest of the cast."

"That won't do." Akashi immediately rejected the idea.

"Come on everyone! What's the point of drawing lots if we change the result?" added Yoshiwara putting her hands on her waist.

"But a haughty princess and a delicate witch, something's wrong."

"Why don't we go for a vote?"

That smelled bad. Given the enthusiasm her classmates showed to swith the roles, she would eventually end up becoming the princess. Desesparate times call for desesparate measures!

"Actually I have something to say."

Standing up, nobody expected her to raise an objection. On the defensive, Himeno deigned to half-listen what her potential rival was about to say.

"I'll play the witch. Despite the appearance, I'm sure Himeno-san can make a good princess and I an evil witch. If we were to switch role based on our personality, then there'll be no fun in acting. Isn't a play supposed to be act?"

As she finished her little speech, the class was dead silent.

"Asaka-san is in the right! I'm sure under her meek nature sleeps a wolf. She's perfect for the role! She's not as delicate as everyone think. To prove it, she's in the volleyball club." spoke up Himeno trying to convince her classmates.

Himeno wasn't supporting her at all instead she took advantage of the situation to keep the princess role for herself. In that very moment, Ritsu was covering her eyes breathing a sigh, and to think she was grateful for her speaking up.

All of a sudden, Honda stood up in her turn, grinning like mad.

"Then leave the rest to me! We don't need to switch roles! I'll bring out the best in everyone!"

"Honda-san, are you vonlunteering for writing the script up?" asked Yoshiwara with reserve.

"I won't let anyone take that task from me! Under my pen, the blazing prince, the haughty princess and the delicate witch we'll be called the amazing trio! Mark my word!"

"...It sounds like some comical show." laughed nervously a boy.

"Would you all stop qualifying me as «haughty»?!" interjected the raven haired princess.

She was so overexcited that she already let her imagination run wild. For a member of the literary club, she was an exuberant girl but the class tolerated her excess, listening to her was always fun. She always talked about books and was brimming over with ideas and stories.

"Ho-Honda-san, duo is more appropriate, not trio. It's a classical love story, remember?" said Yoshiwara trying to restrain the burning passion of the braids girl.

"Ah...You're no fun..."

"Well, we'll leave the script under your care. Try to stay faithful to the original story." Akashi shrugged her pout off.

"I won't fail, Akashi-kun!" She chirped her thumb up.

"When you have a script, come find me or Yoshiwara-san. We'll do the final checks."

Shino nodded enthusiastically and sit down with a blissful face, already dreaming about the play script.

"Now that everything is clear. Shall we move on?"

The calm back, Akashi and Yoshiwara resumed the drawing lots, assigning the secondary roles without much trouble contrary to the leading roles. Then different tasks were divided between those who didn't have a part in the play like designing the set, the narrator part, etc...

As she gazed at the gloomy weather, Ritsu looked forward to their play. Him a prince and her a witch, what a comical situation. Neither of the two actually fit their respective characters but this was what made it interesting.

Glimpsing at Akashi from the corner of her eyes, she couldn't help but faintly smile, trying to imagine him as a prince.

It was so out of character.

* * *

Voilà!

Akashi as a prince is a very ridiculous idea, I know...Have to wait for the festival chapter to see how he'll fare! Doesn't it look promising?

See you guys next week!


	14. You shall eat with me! (1)

When lunchtime break was announced by the chime, Murasakibara responded to the sound and stood up from his desk like an instinctive call. He tapped his right hip, checking that he had the most important thing in his pants pocket at this time of the day – his wallet. Then, his legs brought him to the door that flew open without him touching it. Two buoyant girls barged in the classroom, clutching their lunch box near their chest. Murasakibara frowned as one of the girl bumped into him and didn't mind apologizing while she was skipping toward a blond boy.

"Kise-kun! Let's eat lunch together~!"

Murasakibara cared the least to cast a look at the source of the commotion and instead escaped it. Making his way to the cafeteria, he was already wondering what menu he would choose. But during his little reflection, a faint ring mixed up with his thoughts. He took out his cellphone and checked the ID sender which was Asaka Ritsu, a girl with whom he got acquainted these past days.

His purple eyes skimmed through the message. Ritsu was telling him that today was a good day to invite Akashi for a meal since he didn't bring a lunch with him. As he finished reading, Murasakibara raised up his nose and nonchalantly continued to walk in the hallway, feeling unconcerned by the matter. He put the device back in his pocket but still asking himself why she sent him this email just to say this.

"_Let's exchange numbers. That way you'll know when I need your help._"

Those words reminded to himself, Murasakibara reduced his walking pace for moment as he realised what Ritsu expected of him – She wanted his help – before taking up his initial pace. At the thought, he should probably ask the girl where she was to hear her plan and meet her but he only shrugged the idea off. If truth be said, it didn't change his heart one bit. His destination was the cafeteria, and there would he go. It's not like he didn't want to help her, however, he had his priorities, which was, at the instant, have lunch at the cafeteria.

Speaking of the place, Ritsu and Akashi would definetely head there to eat. He just had to get there first to intercept them and help the girl if she still needed a hand.

But on his way, what he didn't expect was to run into Akashi. The small silhouette of the redhead was going out of a room.

"Murasakibara, it's rare to see you around here." said Akashi, noticing his presence at a few meters.

Murasakibara stared at the sign above the door a few seconds, then his purple eyes went down to his teammate.

"What were you doing in the student council room, Aka-chin?" He asked. Given the message earlier, he thought Ritsu was with him, trying to persuade him to have lunch with him. Maybe was she waiting for him in front of the cafeteria.

"Complete some formalities for the upcoming festival."

"You're really busy..."

"I only do what needs to be done."

The purplehead shrugged his shoulders with little concern. Since the day they made acquaintance during practice, whenever he looked at him, Akashi has always been like that. He dealt with and was thorough in everything that was asked of him. And thing he thought quite odd, that fellow never complained once. Not once, in spite the great amount of work like most people. Akashi just spared no effort in everything he was doing.

Anyway, even if Murasakibara took it as plain odd, he wasn't give real importance about this thorough nature of Akashi. In fact, it was because he didn't have much to complain about him that he didn't feel the need to talk or say anything further.

"And you, what brings you here?"

Murasakibara's eyes roved around the hallway, almost empty. At this period of time, only a handful of students were wandering in this part of the building, where some of the admistrative facilities were located.

"Nothing. I'm heading to the cafeteria." Along his reply, a sudden idea sprouted in his mind as he took into account the empty corridor and the fact Akashi was alone with him. He could help Ritsu right now.

Murasakibara examined the boy, looking for some wrinkles in his uniform that indicated where Akashi had his wallet. Without it, he would have no choice but to accept Ritsu's offer if he met her at the cafeteria. However, no matter how bold his plan to steal Akashi's wallet was, he wasn't stupid enough to go through it head-on.

"Aka-chin, you're going there too?" He asked with an intense stare. For now, he would just keep him in sight.

"Yes, I didn't bring anything today. I heard Tofu soup was on the menu."

A delighted smile, that could almost be mistaken as a smirk, surfaced on his expression. He was seemingly very happy at the prospect of eating the peculiar dish. Murasakibara didn't stir an eyelash and gawked at Akashi. It was as if he especially didn't bother to bring a lunch for that reason.

"Let's not waste time."

* * *

Walking alongside the redhead, Murasakibara often casted furtive glances at him. Now that he managed to keep Akashi with him, he still wondered how he would force him into taking out his wallet in order to snatch it. At this rate, they would reach the cafeteria before he could even take one initiative. Well, he could wait to be actually there to steal it from him since Akashi would surely take his wallet out to pay. However, doing so in front of hundred of witnesses sounded really troublesome for many reasons – and dangerous for him.

"Murasakibara."

Suddenly drawn out of his meditation, he flinched. The purplehead gave a nonchalant yet wary look at Akashi, but his wariness soon dropped as the latter wasn't even looking at him, his red eyes fixed straight on the way.

"What do you think of Haizaki?"

"Eh, who's that?" He tilted his head.

A flicker of a smile passed on Akashi's lips.

"The newcomer in the first string. A week ago he's been promoted from the second string by the headcoach." explained the redhead.

Truth to be said, he didn't recall that event nor the name of that newcomer. However, in spite of having trouble with his memory, there were some echoes of a particulary bothersome player in his mind. Now that Akashi brought up the subject, basketball practice had really been a real pain to attend the past week.

"Oh that guy. I don't like him. He talks big and complained most of the time for nothing. Because of that, Niji-chin always takes it out on all of us while we did nothing wrong. And I hate to do extra efforts when it's not needed."

Unknown by name but Murasakibara remembered impressions. Haizaki's name or face may not be printed in his mind during the first day he joined the first-string but few small events concerning him had been clearly stored in his memory. Some that had irritated him. Like the day, Haizaki decided on a whim to end his practice earlier. As a consequence, Nijimura punished all the members, with the coach's approval, saying that this would serve as a lesson for who dared to take lightly practice next time. In the end, because of Haizaki, their practice became tougher and ended very late. Much later than usual.

"That guy only creates problem for us."

"And what about his basketball style?" Akashi asked, glancing curiously.

"...It's good..." He answered in a barely audible voice, leaving aside any details. He didn't want it to admit it as a compliment or as a sincere acknowledge of Haizaki's talent for basketball. "Say, Aka-chin, if he turns to be not good on games, there's no reason for him to stay on the team, right?... When I play with him, it doesn't feel like usual. Somewhat, the mood in the club's been a bit more tensed than before."

Akashi went on a thoughtful silence before his red eyes studied him.

"...If this eventuality arises one day, there'll be no reason for him to remain in the team. However, the same goes for all us, Murasakibara. In sports, nothing is acquired, only gained. Unless someone stronger than Haizaki comes around, his promotion to the first string is as legitimate and definitive as us."

Put it bluntly, he had to cope with Haizaki for the mean time. Murasakibara didn't try to approve or disapprove his vice-captain's words. In either case, it wouldn't change the fact that he could barely get along with a guy like Haizaki.

Both Akashi and him continued to walk silently and this naturally closed the debate.

His full attention back on their way, the purple-haired boy took notice of getting closer to their destination as they were going down a stairs leading to the first floor. A scowl darkened his expression. In a quick reflection, Murasakibara looked for a thing in the long corridor that could help him gain some time.

Then, his half-lidded eyes stopped. In his line of sight, a vending machine! And since a miracle never came alone, a plan to steal Akashi's wallet sparked in his brain.

"Aka-chin, I want to buy something before." He lifted and pointed his finger to the machine.

Akashi raised an eyebrow in surprise more than suspicion, his gaze landing on the object in question.

"Snacks?...Why do you want to buy snacks now, of all times?" He enquired, quite perplexed of his teammate's behaviour.

"I'm hungry. I'll eat them along the way." Murasakibara saw the redhead open his mouth to retort something but he didn't let any suspicion aroused openly, preferring to say silly thing than being questionned by Akashi. "It's to work up my appetite before lunch."

The red-haired boy's mouth shut in silence, sealing away unspoken remarks.

"Your eating habits really aren't what I'd call healthy for your body, Murasakibara." Akashi let him off the hook with such familiarity and simplicity that it seemed to the ears that he actually gave up on trying to discern any logical reasons behind his behaviour.

In front of the vending machine, both boys glanced over the wide selections. In the middle of it, Murasakibara took a glimpse at the redhead profile. Now that he convinced Akashi that he was buying snacks, he had to go through one last step in his plan and the wallet would be his for the day.

After faking a short reflection, Murasakibara brought his hand to his right pocket. His fingers grazed the leather of his own wallet and some change, but then in a swift mouvement, he removed his hand, empty. For a moment, his hands ran through and palpated his body in a fake yet nonchalant agitation. All under Akashi's stare.

"Ah, I don't have my wallet with me, Aka-chin." He lied.

"You forget it?"

"In the classroom."

He gave a nod of the head, then he slowly turned to face Akashi. Following the plan, that was where everything was played out.

"Aka-chin, can you lend me 200 yen? I want those potatoe chips."

The red-haired boy stood silent.

"I'll pay you back when I get my wallet. Is it okay, Aka-chin?" He pressed, expectantly fixing his purple eyes on him. He just wished his teammate would show his wallet.

"No need." The two curt words took the wind out of his sails. "You said you forget your wallet in your classroom. In that case, it'll be faster if we go fetch it now. You'll need it to buy lunch, as well as the snacks."

Akashi smiled at him, the least expecting that he just ruined his whole plan.

"But I'm hungry..." He said back in a pout but it got no effect on a clueless Akashi.

"Regardless, you shouldn't eat too much before meals. Going on like this, you'll have an upset stomach." added Akashi without a reproach.

The friendly piece of advice went into deaf ears. Murasakibara knitted his brows in frustration, his smart plan fizzled out and there was nothing he could do or say to change the situation. Akashi wasn't inclined to be a generous heart.

"...Stingy."

He swung round and dragged his feet to the stairs, hearing Akashi falling into step behind him.

* * *

Back to the first-year floor, Murasakibara almost reached his classroom when Aomine flew out of a classroom. In his hurry, he bumped into a small teal-haired boy to whom he sent expeditive appologies.

"D-Dai-ch...Ah! Aomine-kun! Y-You...You're on duty! Where are you ruuning off? A-And what about Midorima-kun...We can't leave him li-like that!" Momoi called him out, stricken by laugh and shock at the same time. She ran after his childhood friend.

A minute after the duo disappeared in the distance, Midorima stomped out of the classroom and gained astounded gazes from students lazing around the hallway. He was covered with chalk dust from head to toe. He removed his glasses and swept the dust with his jacket.

"I'll remember this, Aomine." He said under his breath.

"What happened to Mido-chin?"

"Ask Aomine for the details." The green-haired boy spat, putting his glasses back on his nose. His vision clear again, he glared at his two teammates. "You two, what are you doing together?"

"We're planning to go eat at the cafeteria." Akashi replied, paying little mind to the glare and to the story behind his surprising appearance.

"I see. Why are you still loafing around here then?" He asked them, but he expected to be answered by Akashi, not even trying a little bit to show a true attention for his other teammate. "Knowing Murasakibara, you should _already_ be eating now."

Midorima pressed his eyes even more, a reaction certainly not due to his bad sight. But his hostility seemed to be specifically destined for Murasakibara. The latter returned him the gaze in a casual way, he didn't remember doing anything to him to deserve such a dark look. But well, given how their characters didn't seem to match with the other, anything could be of little pretext to pick a fight.

However, Murasakibara no longer cared how Midorima saw him. It didn't mean he accepted every reproaches and remarks of the greenhead with a smile or complete indifference. In fact, they could fight like cats and dogs about everything and nothing but to most of the members of the clubs, their arguments only looked like childish quarrels about who's wrong and who's right.

Thus, overall, his presence wasn't some that bothered him to the point of disliking his grumpy teammate.

"It's unsual." The greenhead mumbled, as though he sensed something going on in the air. "Seeing you two together and having Murasakibara especially waiting to eat with you..."

Listening to the meditative mutters, Akashi blinked in a quizzical manner. "He forgot his wallet. We had to—"

"What? Isn't it the second time this week?" Midorima flew off the handle and jerked his head toward the laid-back purplehead, no more listening to what Akashi was currently saying. "What are you up to Murasakibara?"

"Why me?"

"Because your behaviour is suspicious."

"Aka-chin is strange too."

"There's a difference between being strange and suspicious." Midorima countered, though he barely denied the comment about Akashi. "I can more or less admit you forget your wallet once but twice a week! "

"I didn't do it on purpose." Murasakibara furrowed his brows. The accusing tone began to get on his nerves.

"That doesn't change anything. Last time, you went to see Momoi and me to help you out. Now it's Akashi's turn? Are you trying to leech off Akashi because he buys you snacks? Don't think you can get treated everyti..."

"I'm not, I just forget my wallet in my bag..." He cut him off. "I come to get it with Aka-chin since we're eating at the cafeteria."

Midorima suddenly fell silent and gulped as he realised he misunderstood the whole situation.

"If Mido-chin had taken the time to listen to Aka-chin, you'd know." Murasakibara rubbed it in.

"You seem very uptight today, Midorima."

The quiet remark made him flinch.

"I'm not." He said, regaining a semblance of composure. But it all crumbled when a loud growl added colors on his serious face.

"Eeh, I get it now, Mido-chin."

"Get what?" retorted the glasses boy, both embarassed and irritated for the awkward moment.

"You're in a very bad mood because you're hungry." Murasakibara smiled pleased with himself for noticing it.

"Most likely. We better hurry ourselves to go eat." Akashi simply followed.

"Don't listen to him, Akashi!" Midorima shouted back, yet only confirmed his teammates' assumptions.

"Let's go or Mido-chin will lose all his energy by getting angry at everyone."

The redhead agreed with a nod.

"Hold on. I can't join you."

The two boys ignored him and resumed their tracks, thinking it was just out of stubbornness.

"I said I can't. I forgot my wallet at home this morning." With that, Midorima managed to stop them.

"...Mido-chin reproaches others but he's not better." condemned Murasakibara, sending a glare at the greenhead.

"It's true that it's quite unsual from you to forget important things."

"Today is a very bad day for Cancers. So I would ask you to leave me alone." His clutch around his lucky item ‒ a hairdryer ‒ tightened, as if he was calling in the luck that was supposed to be stored in it for the day. "I'll take my leave, I must remove the dust."

"You're not coming with us?" asked Murasakibara.

"No, unlike you I don't take advantage of the situation to be treated to a meal. I can manage on my own."

"Aka-chin sometimes buys me snack but I've never asked him to do that. It's just that I'm just smarter than Mido-chin to know when to be honest and accept other's kindness."

"M-Murasakibara, you...!" Midorima casted a dark look as Murasakibara tried to outsmart him.

"Stop. In any case, I can't let you leave with an empty stomach, Midorima." Akashi intervened. "I refuse to deal later with someone that can possibily pass out at any moment during basketball practice due to stubbornness."

"You can't force me to comply." He retorted on the spur of the moment.

Akashi raised an eyebrow and examined him in a silent manner, creating a certain tension between the two. Midorima had his lips shut tight, he got carried away by the situation and preferred to say anything further, but he was, nonetheless, convinced that he wasn't in the wrong. But the red-haired boy's silence was not a good omen either. Akashi surely had something in the back of his mind to make him comply and if he moved that would be the end of him.

"... True, you're free to go as long as I know you'll have something to eat." Akashi conceded while Midorima sighed discreetly in relief.

The redhead grabbed his wallet from his left pants pocket and opened it. Murasakibara's eyes opened wide and fixed with great intensity the object. The golden occasion he awaited for was right before his eyes. He couldn't miss the chance, and after this, he could finally go eat.

Like drawn to the wallet, he got closer to the redhead.

"What is it, Murasakibara?" The perplexed voice of Akashi called him back to earth. He stiffened on the spot.

Under the suspicious look of his teammates, Murasakibara lowered his hands in guilty way and kept looking at Akashi's wallet as his chance just slipped through his hands. "Nothing..."

Midorima, who also distinguished a strange glint in those purple eyes, didn't take his eyes off the giant boy. But as the latter became awfully quiet, he felt the need to put Akashi onto something very important about their nonchalant teammate.

"Akashi." He began.

On his side, Murasakibara didn't pay attention to the two boys after that second failure. He was short on ideas, the only and the most easy way to deal with the wallet was to snatch it from Akashi's hands and flee like a robber. But a hunch told him that it was too easy that even Akashi would manage to react to it without a blink. His little teammate had extremely good reactions, he could react to the slightest movement. He had the ball stolen many times during basketball practice due to a second of inattention that he learned not to underestimate his sharp reflexes. On this account, unless someone caught him off guard, he needed something else to delay his counters...Maybe by faking to see a UFO.

The silly thought crossing his mind was soon erased with the sight an ash-blond-haired girl walking out a classroom.

"Ah! Asa-chin, here!" He waved at her.

The girl responded and walked up to the group of boys.

"I must warn you..."

When Ritsu stood near them, Akashi greeted her, half-listening to Midorima's warning. Murasakibara saw in her the perfect occasion to go through his plan and exchanged a conniving look with her before his body moved into action.

Ritsu looked askance, not seizing the reason of such confidence shining in Murasakibara's eyes ‒ until she witnessed the impossible.

"...Sagittarius have to watch out for Libras tod‒ AAH?!" Midorima's eyes flew open in shock.

At everyone's surprise, Murasakibara tore the wallet from Akashi's hand. The next instant, he flung to the hallway windows, opened it and, like a professional baseball pitcher, he threw it away. All of them watched in daze the wallet shrinking in the distance before it vanished completely in the horizon.

Speechless during the whole thing, nobody dared to utter a single even after there was no longer something to watch in the clear blue sky. Everything had gone too quickly, but all could agree that what just happened was utterly absurd.

"Murasakibara." Akashi broke the silence which not only made flinch the culprit, but also Midorima and Ritsu. Beneath the poised voice, something dangerous charged the air. "Care to explain why you did that."

Murasakibara stood frozen, only realising now in what kind of mess he dragged himself into by taking away the object in such audacious move. Nevertheless, he faced his fate like a true yet stupid man. He managed to take Akashi off guard and helped Ritsu.

"I don't know." The vague answer hardly softened his vice-captain's traits. "I'm going to bring it back."

"I-Isn't that obvious?" Midorima gushed after the shock. "You threw his wallet out of nowhere! What has gotten into your head?!"

Murasakibara avoided to reply and chose to run for his life as soon as possible.

"Hey!" cried Midorima to have an answer but he soon lost sight of the purplehead. "Tsk, he can run fast if he wants."


	15. You shall eat with me! (2)

When she left her classroom, Ritsu would have never imagined such absurd incident. After waiting a little while for Murasakibara's answer, which never came, she planned to go look for Akashi, when a distant yet familiar voice called her out. Contrary to what she thought, the purplehead was currently giving her hand. But he did it in the worst way possible, if truth to be said.

Now that Murasakibara fled the crime scene and having Akashi's long gaze suspecting her, she wished he had used another way to fulfill his task. She found it even more difficult to invite Akashi for a lunch than before. What has gotten into Murasakibara's head?

"Oha-Asa horoscope sure is very accurate." concluded Midorima in a dead serious tone.

That didn't make her laugh at all, she was feeling too guitly to catch on the slightest hint of a joke. Beside, Akashi's pressure was enough to refrain her from playing the innocent card.

"Asaka. Are you involved in what just happened? I saw you two exchange looks before he threw my wallet."

She was cornered. In this kind of situation, it was best for her to tell the truth.

"Sort of...But I didn't expect that kind of turn of event."

Akashi said nothing and it didn't lift the weight off her shoulders.

"Ah, don't misunderstand. I never asked Murasakibara-kun to do that insane thing."

What a lame defense, their unconvinced looks suspected her even more.

"Then tell us what was your intention or rather how you did corner Murasakibara to act so stupidly."

Considering how things turned, he was the one who drove Murasakibara into a corner. From the beginning, she knew it wouln't be simple to treat him for a meal, but never to the extent of pushing a nonchalant boy like Murasakibara to resort to desperate measures. Nevertheless, despite the apparence, the purplehead sure had guts. He threw Akashi's wallet out of the window, and he would certainly be the first and the last person who had been able to cross that limit.

"Please don't talk like I'm some evil character. I just want to treat you to a lunch as a thanks for your notes. You really saved me. As for Murasakibara, he offered his help to thank me for sharing my lunch with him the other day. He doesn't have any hard feelings against you or whatsoever."

What a complete idiot she was. In the end, she spilled everything. If she had knew the outcome, she wouldn't have hesitated in inviting him.

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you."

"I see. I appreciate the concern but it was my very own initiative, whether you accepted my help or not, it was up to you. I wouldn't have minded if you had refused. In a way, you have nothing to thank me for, Asaka."

"AH!" She cried aloud, as he declined exactly the same way she had predicted. "I knew it! No wonder I had to come up with something to make you accept!"

She then grabbed Akashi by his shoulders and looked at him straight in the eyes.

"So to make things easier, Akashi-kun, do me a favor, would you just shut up and comply for once? I want to thank you!"

"Asaka, you're asking the wrong way!" interjected Midorima.

"I-I know! But if I'm not doing it this way, he'll never accept!" Ritsu retorted as she started a gaze contest with Akashi. If words were useless, she would squeeze out of him a positive reply by the sheer power of her eyes.

"Because you think he would under pressure!?"

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"

"Well, I never said I'd refuse an invitation for lunch once in a while." Akashi put a stop to their banter. "You didn't have to think so hard."

At his wit's end and hungry, Midorima let them be, not wanting to be involved with the both of them any longer. He had nothing to do with it after all, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. In short, a continuation of his bad day all predicted by Oha-Asa Horoscope.

"So you...will?" Ritsu rejoiced, a little hope scintillating in her eyes.

"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have minded eating with you, but you're forgetting something, Asaka. You're as guilty as Murasakibara."

Upon hearing it, her little hope shattered into fragments, but she couldn't have helped it. Since the moment Murasakibara decided to lend her a hand, the odds were already against her. She really should have taken a more direct approach. Just like she did when they first talked together.

"So I would ask you to bring me back my wallet. Quickly."

Despite the polite speech, it was undoubtedly an order. Well, knowing him, it would have been very odd if he had let her off the hook.

"But what will you do about lunch?"

"It's a bit late too worry about that."

Ritsu wanted to insist more but when she spared a thought for the poor Murasakibara who went to look for his wallet, she fell silent. Not only Akashi, the purple-haired boy too should be quite hungry right now. And to say, he took the trouble to help her at that sacred hour of a day, she couldn't bring herself to let bear all the responsability alone.

"I'm going to help him right now. I won't be long."

"I'm counting on you."

Ritsu turned around, ready to join Murasakibara. He would certainly not be happy to see her so soon after taking so much risk for her. Even her had wished things would have taken a better turn. Nevertheless, all was not lost.

She grabbed her wallet and took two free coupons from a famous coffee shop out of it, which she had kept them as a plan B in case Akashi refused that she paid for his meal.

She took a look out a window and a cheerful smile passed on her lips.

Seems like this treat will be for another day.

* * *

Left behind, Midorima and Akashi didn't move a inch from their spot.

"What will you do, Akashi? I assume you won't wait for those two idiots to eventually come back with your wallet." asked Midorima in an exasperated voice.

Both of them were in the same situation now : without lunch nor money to buy food.

Akashi glanced at him from the corner of his eyes along a smirk. Of course he wouldn't.

"You should have accept her treat in this situation. Now you're left with no option."

"Like you're one to talk." countered Akashi in a chuckle as he showed him two meal tickets from the cafeteria. "I always have options."

Midorima rolled his eyes, feeling no desire to comment. Nothing could surprise him anymore now, he had his fill of emotions for the day.

"It's getting late. Let's hurry."

The red-haired boy led the way.

* * *

In front of an outside vending machine, Murasakibara pressed the button of the selected item and stooped to grab the fresh bottle of ice tea that fell at the bottom. Taking another coin out of his pants pocket, his hand went over the same ritual, save that only the selection change. But with a growling stomach, those repetitive movements made his patience grow rather thin.

_Why vending machine couldn't take multiple selections at once?_, the purplehead raised the question.

Then, he lifted his chin up the sky, the sun was at its zenith. The gaze lost in the blue, he smelled the ambient air as he breathed in. A stifling breath invaded his lungs with heat before it spreaded to his whole body. For a day in early June, the weather was rather hot and humid today. In only a few minutes, the water in suspension in the air seemed to soak into his skin and the sticky impression it created made his uniform more or less uncomfortable on him.

This invisible and bothering weight upon his body, all his spirit abandonned him, swept away along this wave of heat. He suddenly didn't feel like doing anything, even the most insignificant movement that was to remove his uniform jacket because for that he had to put all the snacks he bought as his lunch down, take off the clothe, keep it on his arms and take the trouble to pick up the food. That long serie of movements stopped him from the initiative. Too much of a hassle. So instead, he decided to go sit in the shade and eat. After then, he would take up the search of that tiny wallet. Yes, after then, not before and at his pace.

In any case, he didn't know where it landed and the open scenery before him was enough to put him off . So, there was nothing wrong in taking his leisure time to look for it. He cared the least to bring the wallet to his owner on time, as long as he brought it back by the end of the day. Besides, he ran away fast enough to not let Akashi order him to retrieve it before lunchbreak ended. His excuse was all found if he was to be scolded later. And given the circumstances, Murasakibara doubted Akashi would be lenient on him whether he was late or not.

He made Akashi angry that was reason enough to think he had crossed the line.

"Giving up already? It's only been ten minutes." Ritsu gave him a smile, her gray-blue eyes slowly drawn to the snacks piled on his left arm. "Don't tell me you've already found Akashi's wallet and use his money to buy snacks as compensation?"

Murasakibara stopped on his track and stared at the ash-blondhead who popped up at his side.

"You're not eating with Aka-chin? Why?"

"He found out everything. He sort of sends me here to help you."

"Asa-chin..." He mumbled her name with a faint tone filled with reproaches.

Ritsu vaguely tilted her head side to side in a pensive manner, masking a little sense of guilt shown through her embarrassment.

"I know, I completely failed. As I thought, from the beginning he really didn't expect any gratitude from me...And now that he had all the reasons to refuse my treat, I didn't have much power of persuasion to make Akashi-kun accept."

Murasakibara took the news with the same distance as the girl related the event. She didn't try to enter into details and he would not ask them. The only thing he needed to know was already said, she didn't manage to invite Akashi for a lunch despite his help. With a long gaze, he looked at the girl's face and a faint scowl showed on his face. Here was the very reason why some people, in most case weak ones, tended to annoy him. They always tried hard and believed they could do many things, even when they are conscious of their own weakness, but when they failed, they always turned other's efforts into naught and generally dragged those around them down. And needless to say that this very fact was even more emphazed in a teamsports like basketball.

Weak people only made him double his efforts for things he could do easily alone and for the same results.

Somewhat Ritsu had a foot on this weak boundary. The first time he made acquaintance with her, the latter didn't mark him with a strong impression at all, rather it was close to an ordinary feeling, like the one he had when he looked at his daily surrounding. She didn't stand out much, despite the expectations around her.

"Well, like you, I tried to force him as last resort but it got the opposite effect, I might have worsened my case instead. I was out of arguments and he got the best of me." Ritsu tapped her chin with her fingers, looking elsewhere as though she was reflecting on her acts. "...But Akashi-kun sure is someone who knows how to play hard to get. That makes me remember the first time I tried to thank him." She chuckled. "In a way, that's kind of funny from a boy like him."

The brief analysis seemed to amuse the girl a little but Murasakibara just continued to nonchalantly stare at her delighted face, asking himself in what sort of twisted way she was seeing his red-haired teammate and came to such conclusion. He didn't understand the reason of her delight. There was nothing, strictly nothing funny about Akashi and the whole situation. As a matter of fact, Akashi wasn't the funniest guy around, not to say the least he encountered. As schoolmate or teammate, his clear opinion never changed about him, and for good reason, whatever the situation or the person were, he would always have the last word. Which meant, they lost to him.

Thus, he could not manage to share Ritsu's positive attitude.

"Anyway, we better find this wallet before Akashi-kun gets really mad at us. I'd like to avoid that." The girl's gray-blue eyes scoped the schoolyard, and she slightly squeezed them for a better view. "Hm, I wonder if he'd accept my treat once we find it– Oh, but Midorima-kun will certainly help him out. I'm sure they must be eating together as we're speaking."

The ashblondhead let out a faint sight of disappointment.

"They can't eat, Asa-chin." Ritsu looked back at him. "Mido-chin doesn't have his wallet, he forgot it at home."

The girl suddenly blanched and goggled at him, almost forgetting to breath in that lapse of time.

"T-That means they'll both starve to death unless we come back with Akashi-kun's wallet...Oh..." She said as a mutter to herself, slowly realising all the mess she caused with one innocent intention. She then heaved a long and heavy sigh. "We're in deep trouble, then...I mean I am. Murasakibara-kun, you should go eat. You must be hungry too, right?"

She sneaked a glance at his pile of snacks.

"I'll try to find the wallet myself. You threw it just to help me, meaning if I didn't sent you the message earlier, you wouldn't have done this. You're somewhat a victim just like Akashi-kun and Midorima-kun, though I must say that Midorima-kun had some bad luck to have been caught in this. Moreover, I can't have three outstanding members of the basketball club go to practice in such pitiful state and probably get scolded, all because of my initiative."

Slowly figuring where she was getting at, Murasakibara showed a slight frown.

"So, you should go and see Akashi-kun to treat him for lunch to make up for his lost wallet. Then tell him you'll do your best to look for it after eating. Since he figured out my intention, he'll probably overlook what you've done and accept the treat. He knows when times are critical."

Murasakibara shook his head at the idea, a disgusted look marking his facial traits. "I'm staying with Asa-chin."

Notwithstanding the bloom of a new friendship, the truth was he wasn't very excited at the idea of facing an angry Akashi at the moment. His reticent behaviour wasn't due to intimidation from the redhead, but found its roots in a more personal level and resulted from a lesson he learned the hard way one day during basketball practice.

More than homeworks, more than basketball practices, more than everything, dealing with Akashi required too much of his efforts – Some that unnecessarily drew on his best ressources. Yes, Akashi could be very demanding, so it was only natural for a person like Murasakibara to not find him very funny and to stay low under the redhead's radar in order not to be bothered with all kind of tiring stuffs and keep up with his usual amount of work.

Besides, he hate losing. And if he was to confront Akashi, he definetely had to apologize to him for the trouble he caused him. He didn't want to do it because by acting this way, it was the same as accepting defeat. So, he preferred to choose the easy way.

"Oh, really, but..." The girl pursed her lips, thinking of a way to change his mind, but she soon gave in with a certain enthusiasm. "Thank you!"

All things clear between them, Ritsu stretched her back, ready for the laborious task. For a while, her eyes scanned the school facade and traced an imaginary arc line in the blue sky.

"It must have landed somewhere near this area." She said while following the invisible trajectory that stopped on a grove of trees at a good meters away. "But you took me by surprise with that...move. I never imagined that you'd put that idea of stealing Akashi's wallet into action...Not in this kind of way – to say the least. You really threw his wallet very far, Murasakibara-kun!"

"Aka-chin didn't leave me the choice. I shouldn't have thrown it?"

"Asking me this now is kind of..." Ritsu tittered, "It's just that it seems to me you've really put your heart into that throw! Strength wasn't the only thing that had guided your arm there to hit such great distance. Akashi-kun must have sensed it too to have been short on reaction. It's the first time I've seee him completely shocked!"

"But now Aka-chin is really mad at me. I don't want to deal with him later, especially in basketball practice. He'll come at me...definetely."

Ritsu kept comments for herself and gave him a compassionate smile.

"I can't do anything about that, but since we're partners in crime," She then brought a hand over her skirt and grabbed her wallet in which she took out two coupons. "The least I can do is to thank you with this. I'm aware I wasted most of your efforts, so to not leave on bad note, why don't we meet after school and eat our fills while letting out our frustration."

Beaming a smile, she presented them to him. Murasakibara lowered his head to take a good look at the coupons – They were from a famous coffee shop with a special mention that made escape a thin trail of saliva on the corner of his mouth: _All-you-can-eat__–__pastries for free_. At the sight, flowers were popping and floating around him.

"I hold them in case Akashi-kun refuses the lunch treat, but as of now I think you make a better candidate for them, Murasakibara-kun! I really appreciated your initiative. So, are you up for it?"

Murasakibara accepted the invitation with a smile, forgetting all his bitterness and the clouds that was forming in his horizon.

Sweets will always be there to reward his efforts.

* * *

"Midorima, what are your thoughts about Haizaki?"

Amidst the lively quietness of the cafeteria, the question didn't slip Midorima's attention and managed to arouse some of his interest. The green-haired boy stopped all his movements and thoughtfully studied Akashi eating across him, then without giving long consideration on the question, he took a mouthful of rice that he was about to eat.

"Personally, I dislike him." He said in a curt speech, just after swallowing his rice. "A week has passed since his promotion, and his poor behaviour is the only thing I notice from him. He doesn't take practice seriously and, even if he was to, he just keeps adding more trouble for the seniors and other members. Moreover, he seems to have no intention of improving his behaviour. There's a limit to how a player should behave inside a team."

Midorima merely stated what was on his mind and made no secret of his bad opinion concerning his new teammate. He then awaited for a comment from Akashi, but the latter didn't look about to give one.

"Why do you ask the question?" He eventually enquired, trying to squeeze an answer out of the redhead with a simple eye contact.

"I was just wondering, I already asked the same question to Murasakibara and other seniors. Haizaki got his bearings in the first-string quite quickly, it's undeniable. He has talent for basketball and keeps up with all of us." Akashi concluded, lifting his bowl of rice and quietly took a mouthful. "Yet he still hasn't been well-integrated in the team. He has yet found his place in the team."

Midorima mused on him, getting a gist of his teammate's observation. Although he didn't approve of Haizaki's poor behaviour, he knew when he had to recognize talent. Sadly for him, it was the case for Haizaki. He got his basics down pat, his basketball prowesses attested of some good hours of practice to reach his current level, and on top of that, he was promoted to the first-string just a couple of months after the basketball try-outs. Sometimes, when observing the style of the latter, Midorima did wonder how come he wasn't accepted in the first-string from the start. But, was he even at the try-outs? In either way, maybe the response was just before his eyes. With a poor behaviour and so little social skills, Haizaki would hardly attain excellence. Only those who fully commit themselves to one purpose will achieve.

"In a nutshell, he's only accepted by the club's standards but not by the members themselves."

"Put it bluntly, yes." Akashi nodded. "This lack of communication is a real problem. You already know what I'm talking about, you formed a team with him in practice games."

"Do you even call that a _team_?" hissed Midorima, his fingers tightening around his chopsticks at the bad memory.

As his tone suggested it, that was one of the worst experience he had since he joined the basketball club. Two days ago was the day of the basketball club's weekly mock games, in which all the three-strings were gathered and played together on twenty-minutes games. The specifity of that special day rested upon the heterogeneity of teams, that is to say that first, second and third-strings members were mixed together to compose each teams. Those games were good occasions to test one another through various and different play configurations. Midorima liked those special days as it allowed him to face his first-string teammates and tested team coordination with his basketball style.

However, the last session had been far from being enjoyable. He had the bad luck to be put in the same team as Haizaki, but his bad experience didn't stop there. Their game was a reflection of the grayhead's arrogance, much to his dismay. Never once Haizaki demonstrated the slightest intention of a team-orientated play. The ball traveled across the court one-sidedly and the boy relied too much on his skills to the detriment of his teammate's abilities. Not to mention his agressive style, that pushed teammates and opponents aside, knew just one direction, the hoop.

It was pretty ugly to see from Midorima's point of view, despite winning with flying colours.

"Haizaki follows no rule. In those conditions, it is hard to rely on him and trust him. Even Aomine and Murasakibara who tend to do things their own way still care about their surrounding and show respect for their teammates."

"So you trust Aomine and Murasakibara?"

"Naturally." His voice cracked a bit, despite his efforts of making it sound fully composed. "Basketball is played by five players, I can't rely on my own skills alone. Even if it means I have to share the court with two idiots."

He ended the conversation on those words, preventing Akashi from pushing the matter further than he intented to reveal. Along his silence, he brought the miso soup to his lips and sipped quietly. Seeing that Akashi wasn't about to question him any further, he thought of enjoying the rest of his meal. But Midorima scrunched up his brows.

"What's so funny?"

"I was just appreciating your honesty, Midorima."

The green-haired boy sighed in exasperation. Akashi still hadn't told him the exact reason of his concern about Haizaki's case.

"If you're asking around, Nijimura-senpai and you plan to take measure against him." He got things straight and hardened his gaze on the boy, pressuring him not to beat around the bush any longer. "Right?"

"I'd rather say _for his sake_. We talked it over with coaches Shirogane and Sanada, and yes, some limits are to be drawn in order to maintain a good cohesion. Nonetheless, it won't change anything. Haizaki is part of the team and has to be considered as such from now on." Akashi went on his speech in a neutral tone, subtly emphasizing on the formal aspect of the matter. Which meant there was strictly nothing to contest about the decision. "And, the sooner, the better."

"Not that I could rejoice about it." retorted Midorima, his facial lines becoming even more apparent.

It can't be helped, thought the green-haired boy. And as always, it brought a distasteful taste in the back of his throat. But, when he decided to join this prestigious club, he was already prepared for all sort of difficulties and troubles. The Teikō basketball club strived for excellence, and this path was not to be trodden on without the idea of sacrifices. Though, if he was to say it out loud, he'd rather not put up with Haizaki.

"What are you going to do about him?"

"Nothing more than usual."

"What?"

"As you said, Haizaki follows no rule, which means the more you try to bind him to rules, the more he'll try to break them. And, we have no time to waste in tag games. We'll hold him in check when necessary but our actions won't go further. Like everyone else, Nijimura-san and I have our own practice and duties to focus on as well, we have our limits." Akashi put down his chopsticks in a neat manner and closed his eyes just the time for his lips to let slip a very faint breath. But as his eyelids slowly reopened a shade of cold solemnity fleeted across his expression. "We're not here to take care of him."

"Still, I think you're taking his case too lightly. At this rate, Haizaki won't stop giving us trouble."

Akashi raised his gaze up to his face and locked his red eyes upon his.

"As things stands for me, it's obvious when being teammates, there will be problems. You guys have to learn how to play basketball together, that's our main duty. Nijimura-san and I are to enforce the club's motto and unite the team under the same banner, not to baby-sit him or anyone who give us trouble. For victory's sake, I'll do my best to make him progress and reveal the best of his potential on court." The redhaired-boy broked the visual contact and looked off at the windows. "However, if he doesn't make the slightest effort in trying to integrate the team, there's nothing I can do. I'm not kind enough to extend my hand knowing the other won't ever take it."

For a moment, Midorima found himself speechless. His red pupils shone with an icy light, bright enough to catch his strong sense of duty and his care for the club's welfare on its surface, but the depth of his gaze was unfathomable to his senses.

"...I see, I understand." Midorima managed to say after a couple of seconds, removing that eerie impression off his mind.

Overall, he agreed with him concerning Haizaki. Over this week, the latter showed no improvement in his behaviour despite the warnings and pieces of advice. This absence of self-consciousness wasn't entirely a problem of behavior or a lack of common sense. In fact, Haizaki felt no true desire to grow in this team. So why bother about his fate if he didn't wholly grasp this opportunity for himself?

Though he must admit, for a moment, he mistook Akashi's concern for Haizaki as misplaced compassion, thinking he would request of all members to get along well with him, but such compassion had no reason to exist in a club who aimed for excellence. Those who can't grow along others won't last long. And, Akashi seemed well-aware of this fact.

The coaches, Nijimura or Akashi weren't taking his case lightly at all, they were just waiting for Haizaki to make his proof as a valuable asset of the Teikō basketball team – Until someone more worthy come to knock at the club's door.

Midorima exhaled at the conclusion of his long meditation. The idea of playing again with Haizaki on the same court was quite displeasant but as long as their interactions were kept to the strict minimum, he would put up with the situation. Besides, he was actually doing the same with Aomine or Murasakibara.

Speaking of the latter, his gaze was fixed on a tray next to Akashi, where two bowl of rice and two servings of grilled mackerel were waiting to be eaten. Earlier, Akashi took the trouble to ask the canteen lady to prepare two other servings after explaining the situation. Those were rest but still enough to last till diner time.

"Akashi."

"Another remark?"

"No, are we really going to wait for them?"

"I am, but you go ahead if you have finished." Akashi suggested him. "I can't let Murasakibara and Asaka take up classes and their practices with an empty stomach."

Midorima looked at him plainly while thinking otherwise, but he didn't comment.

"I'll stay, that's the least I can do. You have my gratitude for today." He just said and quickly went on, not to let Akashi make one remark about his initiative. "But you sure are confident they'll come back on—"

"AH! Here, Murasakibara-kun! T-They're here!"

Like most of the students in the cafeteria, all gazes shifted to the distant shout. Midorima recognized the two silhouettes scurrying into the place and at the sight, he couldn't refrain a grimace.

"You were saying?" Akashi teased him.

"Nothing." He pushed his glasses up his nose bridge and stayed silent.

Murasakibara and Ritsu hurried themselves to join them.

"W-We finally found you...! We were looking for you for a while now! We ran through the entire building and to think you we'd find you here..." The ash-blondhead gabbled, almost out of breath. "Of all places!"

Midorima took a look at them. Sweat were dripping on their faces reddened and all twisted by efforts. While catching their breath, Murasakibara was giving them a dark look, his purple eyes falling directly on their meals, and Ritsu still hadn't pay attention to the both of them or the food, seemingly more relieved to have found them before lunchtime ended. As he went a little further on his observation, he noticed their disheveled uniforms, and there even was a twig sticking out of the girl's hair. But the things which marked a frown on his face were the pile of snacks on the boy's arm. Although Midorima decided not to make any comment on it, he caught on that Murasakibara never made the effort to look for the wallet until Ritsu came to the rescue.

He glanced at Akashi who showed no peculiar reaction.

"Aka-chin...How come you can eat without money?" Murasakibara asked, seething with anger. His gaze was intensely fixing the food.

"I just happened to have to meal tickets with me." Akashi answered.

"I knew it, I could have taken my time." The purplehead said. "I'm going."

At his limits, Murasakibara turned around and walked away, no longer feeling the need to stay around them.

"You don't need it, then."

Upon hearing Akashi's voice, he stopped in his track and took a look over his right shoulder. In a simple movement of the head, the redhead redirected his look on the tray next to him on which two bowls of rice and two servings of mackerel were arranged.

"Is that...for us?" Ritsu eventually asked, a small glow of happiness erasing all traces of exhaustion in her eyes.

Akashi nodded. "Help yourself. At this hour, there's nothing left. You better hurry, lunchtime is almost over."

Touched by his kindness, Ritsu indulged herself without a second thought.

"Thank you, Akashi-kun! Ah, and before I forget."

She returned him his wallet. Then, as she took place next to him, Midorima saw Murasakibara hesitating and eyeing both the food and Akashi before he turned back, mumbling some words that none of them could heard distinctly.

As he sat down beside the redhead, Murasakibara picked one of his snacks on the table and handed out a pocky box to Akashi.

"For you, Aka-chin."

The giant boy didn't make a tiny effort in smiling and gave a plain look at Akashi, awaiting for the latter to accept in token of his gratitude. Despite the lack of manners, Akashi barely held it against him and took it.

Just like that, Murasakibara indulged himself in the food without having the feeling of owing him anything. Midorima wasn't actually approving of such conclusion, expecting at least some kind of apologies from Murasakibara or a stricter attitude from Akashi.

He let out a faint sigh. If Akashi intented to take the same lenient approach with Haizaki, the future of the basketball club sure was rather dark.

But later in the afternoon, he was proved the contrary.

From this day on, Murasakibara swore to himself to avoid any warm-ups or training with Akashi as a partner.


	16. Guiding Light

Although their special practice had finished fifteen minutes ago, her palms was still bright red because of the hellish training her captain had especially thought for her return. This morning, Ritsu had informed her coach of her recovery, with some feeling of anxiety as he woud inevitably relayed this to her captain who longed for this day, ever since she had given her the slip concerning the mixer.

And true to her words, Hibari was not joking when she said she had prepared some very special welcome. She went through Hell. She never had touched the ball this much since she joined the club, while she complied to every whims of her captain without taking a break.

"Aaah!" exhaled Hibari as she stretched her back,walking carefreely on the street. "I feel so good now!"

Ritsu felt the opposite, she was completely spent by the sustained cadence of Hibari who threw balls at her without minding wherever she was aiming. As she had to run across the court to get them, leaving her most of the time on her knees while her captain urged her to stand up and kept running.

She fell, she got up, then fell again, continuing this endless circle on and on...past practice hours, inevitably. Time had slipped by without even the two girls noticing. While the others members had already gone home leaving them into their own little world, without much concern for both of them.

"You didn't go easy on me, Hibari-senpai..."

"Guess why I am happy!" She grinned, showing all her teeth and very satisfied of her day. "But you did well, Asaka. Good job! I knew you wouldn't let me down."

"Like I have a choice. Knowing you, if I had complained, you would have asked Hoshino-senpai to join in. And well, truth to be told, I prefer to deal with you alone than having the both of you on my back..." Ritsu replied in a half-hearted tone, getting suddenly tired just by imagining the situation in which she would have had to receive alternatively Hibari's random sets and Hoshino's explosive spikes. It would have been worse, a lot worse.

After being under Hoshino's guidance for a week, and still was during her idle hours, she already took conscious not to underestimate the raven-haired girl's raw power. Truthfully, she had trouble against her during the trial period and maybe Hibari would have been a better guide for her, as she aspired to be a setter, and not a spiker like Hoshino.

By the way, she didn't even know why the choice fell on the raven-haired girl, while some other members of the team would have been more in accordance to her aspiration, or at least close to her in term of character, like the vice-captain for instance.

During the first day, when all the freshmen were to introduce themselves and define the position they aimed, she clearly said she wished to play the setter position if she were to join the team. Even so, the coach and Hibari thought wise to stick her with Hoshino.

Not that it actually held very much importance to her at this point, since she still managed to get into the team. So, to stop overthinking, she concluded that perhaps it was due to Hoshino's player experience, as Hibari and her were the only third-year regulars in the team, subsitutes aside. So in comparison the vice-captain and the rest of the girls in their second year were probably not suited to be her mentor, in term of experience solely.

"Eeh...You do know where the danger is! I'm so proud of you." Wiping a fake tear, she laughed and friendly nudged her shoulder. "Well, at least the coach and I saw what we needed. Your footwork and your stamina have improved quite well. Your movements are quicker and more explosive, and you keep running a bit longer than before. You make some good progress, Asaka. It's not even comparable to your first official match."

"D-Don't come back to it. You literaly threw me onto the court without prior notice, and on top of it, during a crucial moment...!" Ritsu retorted back, the memory still freshly engraved in her mind.

Her first official match as a spiker happened during the second round of the prefectural tournament in may. And needless to say that it refreshed some sort of bad memory, as she had had trouble in finding her mark right in the middle of a high-pace game. It had been a few notches higher and faster than everything she had learned and experienced so far in volleyball.

Stress certainly had played some part into that awkward debut, but didn't constitute the main one, assuredly. In elementary school, she had already taken part in volleyball competitions. However, she had to recognize that the level was much lower compared to what she experienced during that tournament.

Evidently, she thought now, and had realised how naive she had been to think the level gap between mini and junior volleyball was insignificant.

Even now, she still felt pretty embarrassed about this naivety.

"What, you're not supposed to warm the bench, as far as I know." Hibari darted two fingers straight at her forehead and hit it bluntly.

Ritsu winced in pain, covering the spot with her hand. "Y-Yes, but you could have chosen a better moment to do that...I don't think that sending a freshman in critical moments was really a good call. Because of that, we won by a nose. "

"What's the big deal? We won." Her captain brushed it off, like she was past the point of meditating about it since everything turned out well.

"It's something Hoshino-senpai would say."

"Because that's what you should remember instead of calling into question my judgement. Besides, did I ever make a wrong decision until now?"

"No. Or else the coach would have intervened." Ritsu replied instantly.

Which was somewhat surprising considering the risky situations she oftenly put the team in, like everything she did seem to turn as a bet for her. Ever since she joined the volleyball club, her first impression on Hibari was some of an impetuous girl, but her achievements and the decisions she made told her otherwise.

Last year, she managed to lead the Teikō volleyball team in the round of sixteen of the interschool annual competition, as a vice-captain first before being given the captaincy right before the regional championship. Her baptism of fire started with success and the rest remained as a life experience, painful and realistic of her capacity at that moment, when she had been powerless to bring to the top her team. Still, in spite of her failure, she still made it past a point that none of the previous volleyball teams at Teikō hadn't been able to go. That thought was suffisant enough for her to shoulder the captaincy and go through it till the end, no matter the decisions she were to make.

That was what she recalled from a piece of an old conversation with Hoshino.

"Pretty smart, aren't you?" Ritsu tittered at the remark, unable to come with a more decent reaction. "However, in your case, it was still the best way to familiarize you with our team style and pace."

"Yagami got to play as a starter for her first official match."

"Jealous?" Hibari queried deliberately, jerking her head to the side. A mischievous grin crept onto her lips.

"Not at all. I'm just saying that Yagami had had a better treatment than I am."

Her captain's pace slowed down a bit, keeping her in her line of sight, while a short silence set itself between them.

"Not even a little bit, huh?" Her pitch went lower, undertoning some consideration in her statement. "You think lightly about some aspects of sport in general, Asaka."

"What do you mean?" She raised the question, persuaded of the contrary, as she didn't have the impression of lacking something to do sports or got a wrong view of it. True, sometimes she sounded quite naive, with the buddy-buddy image of a team pretty much accentuated by her love for volleyball and this notable interest for team play she usually observed in games. Nevertheless, she did know what it meant to do sports : Play, be it fun or competition. She had to play. In accordance to the situation, to her teammates and whatever the outcome, it turned out to be.

Hence the reason she couldn't fathom out why Hibari had this strange impression of her.

The girl breathed a sigh and scratched the back of her head, cogitating of an easy way to explain things to the oblivious kōhai, who looked incredulously at her in wait for an answer. "To be quick, even if you do understand and feel things very fast when explained, it doesn't mean you actually see them as they are in reality."

Ritsu casted at her an questionning look, not really understanding what she meant. Wasn't it a bit obvious to understand the gist of something without necessarily being able to visualize it concretly?

"Meaning that the most efficient and the quickest way to make you learn is to confront you to reality, instead of long explanations." Hibari added a few more, noting a perplexity fleeting across the ash-blond girl's expression. "You have some good capacity for adaptation, Asaka. During your very first game, even if you had messed up at the beginning, you did rather well at the end. When you followed Hoshino's pace. You two make some great combo."

It was as Hibari said. At that moment, without Hoshino on the court, she would have barely managed. Her physical aptitudes had nothing to do it with those blunders made on that game, she played like she was supposed to, maybe not as perfectly and smoothly as she could have expected for her first official game, but still.

Yet, its high-pace was a rather abrupt change in what she was generally familiar with, and consequently confused her to a certain extent. It had been a matter of mental. Even though she was playing, she wasn't of great help in that critical moment until Hoshino set the record straight, asking whether she wanted to remain on or be kicked out of the court. And her answer had been their victory, with her remaining on the court till the end, by mainly coordinating her movements to Hoshino's.

"The coach and I sure had made the right choice in putting you with Wakana. You both have points in common."

"Really...? I think our character are quite different, in my opinion." Ritsu said sheepishly, in truth not really agreed with the wavy brown-haired girl's opinion. "Besides, I'm more used to support than offensive role."

"Oh, that's right. The first day, you did say you wanted to play as a setter."

"So, you remember." Obviously, as the volleyball team captain, she was ought to know and remember at least the motivation of new recruits.

"Of course I do. The captain title isn't for show, idiot. Ah!...Do I even need to tell you that? It goes without saying!" She exclaimed out of the blue, getting worked up for nothing, in the middle of the street. Ritsu refrained from making any comments, meekly taking her distance from the captain to avoid painful flicks on the forehead, or even slaps on the head that generally went straight at the vice-captain whenever the latter was being too bossy.

Then, her captain sighed, briefly regaining a bit of composure after that little digression. "Anyway, are you still fix on that idea?"

"Huh?" A bit surprised by the sudden question, only that sound came out from her mouth. She goggled at her, awkwardly, and forgot to give her an appropriate answer.

"Don't look at me as if I've just asked something stupid."

"Oh." At the remark, Ritsu looked away in a sheepish manner. "...I am. I want to play as a setter. I prefer to assist than going on the offense."

Hibari added no comment, studying her silently. "Does that mean you don't want to broaden your skills? Because I have other plans for you."

"What other plans?"

"Some where you won't be a setter."

That honest reply hammered her hard deep in her mind. "But..."

"Yagami is better fitted for that role than you."

Now that she spoke of Yagami, she did recall that for her trial period, Hibari, herself, had been the one who watched over her, not Hoshino nor another member of the team. Those appointments weren't mere coincidences, though that the coach would hardly let it as such. From the start, Hibari and the coach already had taken into consideration their potential and their future role in the team. In light of their respective trial period, Yagami would likely evolve as a setter under Hibari's wing, and her as an outside hitter under Hoshino's light.

Then, what about her own aspiration of becoming a setter? What was she lacking or maybe possessed to play as an outside hitter, and not another role? Should she comply or raise an objection?

As the questions flew in her, Ritsu felt disheartened. It was true that she truly desired to play this role support, but things never turned as convenient as people imagined them. She knew it, hence why she couldn't be and go wholeheartedly against her captain's idea. Hibari mainly made that choice for the team's sake. However, knowing a bit of her character from observation, it didn't mean she would crush her aspiration for that sake either, most certainly.

That was Hibari's fairness.

"Can I ask why?"

"To speak the truth, you have good qualities to be a setter. Among all the freshmen, Yagami and you revealed some insteresting sport IQ on practice games. Above average but not very high either, well, for the moment." Hibari ignored the quizzical look of the ash-blondhead who tried to squeeze out the reason why she was to walk on a different path then. "At this stage, it's still too early to tell how exactly you both are going to progress, anyway."

"But Yagami has aptitudes that I don't have to be a setter."

"And you have ones that she doesn't have to be an outside hitter." Intrigued, Ritsu cocked her head upward. "It works that way too. Simple, huh?"

A wide grin stretched onto her lips, offering to the sight a pleasant expression of exhilaration.

"You two may be lacking but not missing of something."

She didn't grasp the meaning, for her it almost rung the same.

"There are things only Yagami can currently achieve while you can't. And vice-versa. That's why, even if you both aspire the same position, you won't necessarily accomplish it the same way. You have both your own character. Clearly definited or not, I find it rather important to establish a good balance in the team."

When she finished her sentence, she spinned round, showing that smile of her, which erased any trace of fatigue in both girls.

"On that account, Asaka, I want you to be more stubborn and reckless. For the team's sake, and the type of player you aspire to be, as well."

Ritsu couldn't reply immediately. It was the first time someone asked of her this sort of request. Commonly, people were supposed to do the opposite. "...Ah? What kind of player are you trying to turn me into?"

"Simply a worthy player of the Teikō volleyball team. "

«Simply». It shouldn't be more nor less. A single expectation that guided her onto path that she deemed rightful. For her, alone.

"Stubbornness is your pride and recklessness is your determination. I want to see you stand proud and determined on court."

Pride and determination. Ritsu smiled faintly, those notions were quite familiar to her eyes that even by closing them, the vision of Hibari and Hoshino's straight back prompted in her mind without thinking. On court, those two upheld the most of it as they carried on their shoulder nearly three years experience of wearing the Teikō jersey.

In the simplest way, they were and played as members of the Teikō volleyball team. And by following the trails of those lights, the rest would likely and simply turned as such.

As Hibari wished for this.

"You know, as you must have already noted, having Wakana watching over you wasn't innocent coincidences. Compared to me or another member, she is the best choice to support and make progress a girl like you."

"A girl like me?" Ritsu repeated, sensing an undertoned cutting remark aimed straight at her. "Is that some kind of reproach?"

"You heard me well, and you already know what about I'm talking about, don't you?"

She did. She wasn't the first to tell her this. However, being reproached this twice in less than two weeks had called some of her attention onto that matter : First by the four first-year members of the basketball club she encountered days ago, and now Hibari. Ever since she became a regular of the volleyball team, this ordinary boundaries she tried to fall within was seemingly not in accordance with sport.

She was an ordinary girl as she conformed herself to, yet people asked more of her as a player.

"I'm not imposing myself enough."

"You're really aware of it, huh?"

"Not long ago, I've been told this and well, maybe they were right if you also said the same."

And this colorful squad not only have pinpointed this, she also promised them to rise in order to stand on equal ground with them. The aura they gave off wasn't dull and plain like her, in the same way as all her teammates. They shone with warmth and blazed with their spirit.

"...If you do sports, you can't stay in conformity. Because average or ordinary tends to...no, it means weak in the sports world. It's either weak or strong, there is no such gap as average for people when you play."

«_You shouldn't belittle yourself._»

A curious echo reminded her of Akashi at this instant. In their conversation at the nurse office, he did say that he found her neither weak or strong. At that time, she thought he just meant that she was just an average player and took it without much consideration, although she did remember a vague impression of being offended by his words. And the cause of such a feeling became clear when she related it to Hibari's words. If average meant weak for people, then...

Honestly, upon realising it, a sentiment of frustration tingled her heart and stirred something she considered as ugly in her. Never did she want to have her own efforts be denied. She was conscious that she wasn't some perfect nor pitiful girl. Nonetheless, it still hurt her own pride to be considered as weak by her captain, when she put so much efforts into making it in the volleyball team.

She wouldn't raise a finger to prove her worth to those who couldn't value her talent. She had said that to the colorful group, but when it was about proving herself to those who recognized her, she couldn't allow herself to let them down.

However, when she looked upon Hibari, she didn't feel any trace of condescension, as much inwardly than outwardly. Thus far, her support always had this pleasant note of hope in it. Because she expected something of her, not one that gave her pressure but some that allowed her to move forward. And curious thning, she had the same feeling about Akashi. That time in the nurse office, he had meant no harm nor disrespect. He was just giving her some hints of advice.

"So,you have to constantly prove yourself to others. Sports is somewhat the best field in where you can fully and openly express a part of yourself. Of course, I don't want you to go berserk or anything else. But what I observed from you so far is quite pleasant, much to my surprise."

"Er...Hibari-senpai, I sound kind of bad when you say that." Ritsu hesitated in making the remark. This came out so naturally from her mouth that she couldn't help it but taking offense.

The wavy-brown haired girl tilted her head vaguely and gave her a sidelong glance. A glint of kindness glowed in her eyes, even under the evening sky. "Since we're at it, I should probably tell you this as we'll be spending the year together, but at first, I didn't really like you."

The ash-blondhead was stunned by the revelation. She was persuaded of having given a good impression on the first day at the volleyball club, though asking to be liked by everyone was kind of arrogant.

"You were sort of plain, or rather your aura was quite dull, like some freshmen that applies to a sports club for stupid reasons or simply for fun. And a little too calm, I must add. I don't know if it was shyness or not, given your character that must not be the case. So, truth to be said, you didn't seem to fit right in, and a cultural club would have been a better choice for you in my opinion. That's why I didn't like you at first, but recognized your talent, nonetheless."

She said it right, there was still a difference between being liked and being recognized. By the time she got to join the team, her capacity had been acknownledged while people had mixed opinions about her.

"Because there are times when you eventually proved me I was mistaken about you. It's still a rare sight to see you truly fight your way, but when you do, you really shine, Asaka. That'd be amazing to make this view an ordinary one in the team."

"The stubborn and reckless part is to..."

"Yes, to make you affirm yourself a little more and shine. The outside hitter role is perfect for that. With Hoshino, to booth, it's only a matter of time, I guess. You'll find your own place in the team that way. No, I ought to say you must find it quickly or else you won't last long. Sports only allowed evolution and if you can't keep up, you're going to be left behind."

Her eyes resting on her captain, in that moment, she understood most of the coach's decision and the whole members acceptance in Hibari's early designation as the volleyball club head last year. She used her experience to advance and transmitted it to make progress those around her. Her insight was keen enough to not repeat the same mistake and correct them to broaden her view on what she was ought to do.

And Ritsu had to admit it, she was very fortunate to cross path with a captain like her and play together as teammates.

Such guidance didn't fall on deaf ears and she would follow that lead.

For the team Hibari envisioned. And perharps for the one she dreamed of, as well.

"In any case, that won't do it if you fall back. You're part of the plan now, Asaka." Without never looking away from her captain, Ritsu strangely shared Hibari's elation at such prospect as she could tell by a simple glance that the girl was smiling with her eyes.

In simple terms, she looked forward.

"I'll keep it in mind."

"Ah, you'd better prove yourself worthy of the team or I'll kick you out for real! I can tolerate mistakes, but don't forget my patience has limits too. Is that clear?" Hibari warned her in jest, giving a hard slap on Ritsu's shoulder.

The latter stumbled a little forward, and after regaining her balance, she shot a weary look at her captain who was beaming with satisfaction. "...Crystal clear."

"Then, let's win our pass to the Nationals! It's high time for the Teikō volleyball club to shine!

Ritsu gave her a quiet nod of the head while chuckling as she imagined that beautiful vision, and needless to say that hardships would arise and punctuate her path, but this was none that could make her waver now...

As long as she embraced the same path as team, everything would work.

Definetely.

* * *

After splitting with Hibari not long ago, Ritsu was walking down on a quiet alley that she ofently took to join up the train station next to the main street. Her phone in her hand, the girl paid little attention to her steps, too concentrated on reading and replying to Hoshino's stupid mails regarding her hellish training, which had literaly assailed her inbox while she had been in the middle of talking with Hibari.

As usual, when something picked her interest, Hoshino couldn't stay silent about it and have to get some juicy information, well juicy to her though. Most of the time, it felt more like a way to begin a conversation.

In short, she just wanted to chit-chat.

Like most of the girls of the club, she wasn't really bothered by it. Hoshino's prattle was completely integrated into the volleyball club mentality, and this was not something new as she heard from the vice-captain. Even last year, or maybe ever since the day the raven-haired girl crossed the threshold into the club, her voice had always enlivened its stiff atmosphere with all her stuff about volleyball and love.

It was rowdy at times, the same as the girl who never failed to raise the spirit of the club.

When she finished sending the message, she kept the device in her hand, waiting for an ever-quick response from the ravenhead. Just some small talk was actually perfect to relieve all the pressure from this long day. Even if Hoshino would at some point got off the main topic and blathered on this aspect of school life she seemed passionately dedicated to : love.

Ritsu just knew how tiresome the talks with people like Hoshino could be, yet this nice feeling of creating a bond had a relaxing effect on her. After Hibari's expectations, Hoshino offered her quite a light balance between pressure and amusement.

Now that the pressure was gone, it was time to relax and have fun.

Smiling all by herself, this light thought came accompanied with a close sound of a ball bouncing on the asphalt. Ritsu craned her head in its direction, joyful tinges brightened her face when she contemplated the familiar silhouette dribbling toward the hoop.

Even at this late hour, there he was, playing alone on a street basketball court.

"You're really a basketball freak, Aomine-kun."

The boy, who was in a shooting stance, turned his head and gasped at her sight. "Asaka! What are you doing here?"

"I just finished practice and I was about to head home. But I saw you, and thought of talking a bit with you on my way." The navyhead half-listened to her, scratching the back of his head, seemingly bothered by something. His blue eyes roved around the court, then slowly raised to the night sky when another gasp escaped his mouth.

"Tch, it's already evening."

"You only noticed now?..." Ritsu asked, surprised by the fact.

"Ah, forgot about the time, I guess." He replied with a broad smile, shrugging off his slip of the mind. "I wanted to try out a move...Aaaah, but a day is damn too short!"

All seemed to point that Aomine knew no time limit when it came to basketball. If no one stopped him, he could likely go on playing all night long. That was some passion, thought Ritsu at the moment. Or maybe obsessional love he had for the sport.

"And can be pretty long sometimes." She added light-heartedly. Walking up toward Aomine, she spotted all of his belongings tossed near the center as he surely fell under the temptation of basketball sweet call, making him forget all about his hunger. Next to his school bag, was a paper bag from Maji Burger, still quite full of hamburgers. Ritsu was taken aback by the number, just from seeing the top she could already count four, and the inside had yet to seen.

"You want one?" The navyhead asked her, when she suddenly stopped near his bag, staring intently at the paper bag.

"Oh. " At the question, she realised how long she had been eyeing those hamburgers, asking herself about what kind of stomach did he have to be able to devour all of these, and on top of it, before dinner. For her, one hamburger was suffisant. "Er, no...!"

Before she could even utter a proper answer, he grabbed one from the bag and threw it at her that she caught without thinking.

"Here! Just take it."

In her hands, she goggled at it, then directed her gaze to the tanned boy who was all smiles. Truth to be said, she didn't know what to do with it, as she wasn't currently starving.

Now she became seriously convinced that she had to give off some weird, or rather pitiful vibes to be given food from four of the colorful squad, out of five.

"You said you've just finished practice. Your sprain has healed?"

Ritsu snapped out of her daze and tried to regain a bit of composure. "...Hum, finally!"

"Seems like they didn't go easy on you. You look like hell!" remarked the boy, glancing at her face in a curious manner.

To a girl, that wasn't exactly a very pleasant thing to hear.

Aomine had really a very direct approach with people, his speech had no touch of formality, and was pretty free-spoken instead. Well, he didn't look like the type to conform himself to strict social conventions like Akashi or Midorima and gave more the impression of someone going at his own pace, more or less in the same way as Murasakibara. So, it wasn't really surprising for him to adress people with that much familiarity.

In all likehood, his bluntness was a charm that naturally went with a spontaneous boy like him, and it had its little effect on her. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"The captain had specially taken care of my return at the club today." A tinge of embarrassement toned down a bit her voice as she told him the reason of her apparent exhausted look.

"That fury who almost tried to make us all go to a mixer?"

She just nodded her positive response, not saying anything to correct the fury part because even she wouldn't say it out loud, she felt pretty much the same as him at times when she confronted her captain.

At that piece of information, Aomine gaped, somehow a little impressed by the girl. The tiny glimpse of the wavy-brownhead that day was plenty enough for him to know that Hibari wasn't someone who liked to have her patience tested. Perfectly knowing that if he hadn't had chased after Akashi he would have gone crazy with that fury.

"...Next time, I'll be more careful..." She had learnt her lesson this time. Never again would she get injured out of recklessness. "At two weeks away from the start of the regional championship, it wasn't really the right timing to get a sprain and take it easy while everybody else trained hard for the competition."

The regional championship just followed the prefectural games where Yagami and her had made their first steps into official competitions. Both were expected to play till the end of the Nationals in August. Their selection into the team weren't made out of plain interest, they were on the team because people deemed them worthy enough to fulfill the main goal in sport : Victory.

In spite of being freshmen and new players, they had the very same duty as any others experienced members of the team, that is to say bring victory to the school, and in a larger scale the prefecture they ought to represent.

It sounded heavy put like this, but competition wouldn't exist as they were without this little sense of responsability. And she had been stupid and careless enough to forget about it during her match with Akashi.

As an athlete, no wonder he didn't let worsened her injury more than necessary and immediately tended it right after the game; with the approaching tournament, it had been the most responsible thing to do.

He had been wiser than her on this one in all aspects. Judgement and insight, she had lack of those at that time.

"Eh, your team got past the prefectural games?"

"Not without difficulties but yes. The basketball also managed well as I heard from Momoi-chan and Akashi-kun." She nodded and gave him a joyful smile. "If we win the regional championship, it seems like our school we'll be one of the Tōkyō representatives in both volleyball and basketball at the Nationals!"

"Yeah, that sounds nice!" He beamed with excitement aroused by the girl's high spirits. "I can't wait for the Nationals! It'll be a true warzone!"

A warzone, huh? The word echoed in her head and made her chuckle inwardly by the boy's vision of the greatest championship of the year. Seeing it like that, maybe he wasn't far from the truth, but she was still a little more moderated in her own view of the competition.

"You're really looking forward to it, Aomine-kun." She noted, a bit admirative of his great enthusiasm. His face was filled with a genuine happiness, played up with this air of invincibility people had when they dreamed. The sweet picture of him irradiating with playful innocence melted her heart, the passion he had for the whole basketball world was so intense that she could almost felt her own love for volleyball ignited anew, as if she just started it.

At that warm feeling, her lips crooked into a brighter smile.

"You don't know how! The level has to be high! That means facing strong opponents." Aomine shot a trhilled grin, imagining the challenges that awaited him. "I don't know the actual level of the Nationals, though. But so far, it was damn fun to play the prefectural games!"

Then, he pointed his nose upward and confronted the night sky, musing a little bit on a small thought. "Streetball and basketball has its difference in term of style and level, not that I'm complaining. The more challenges there is, the more fun it is."

"Huh? Does that mean you never enter a competition before?"

"Ah, yeah, I've always played street basketball since there weren't any basketball clubs near my neighbourhood." He explained. "I used to play with other kids and even grown-ups when they were at it, but most of them were amateurs, so I didn't really get a chance to play against actual confirmed basketball players. Still, streetball has its own fun and allows more freedom."

So the atipical style she heard of time to time certainly came from that reason. His style had bloomed without any strict and repetitive series of technical drills to learn the basics and he sharpened his skills with the plays he did with other people. And the freedom he talked about in street basketball brought the final touch to his singular way of playing – He knew no limits in his play and moved freely.

"But by joining a club, I got to encouner a lot of strong players like Nijimura and the other senpais, or even those three weird fellows. They know how to play basketball, their skills and their level are close too mine, or maybe higher. It makes my blood boils everytime I do a game with them! They're playing basketball, not only because they're good at it but they love it too."

Now she came to understand a little more his high spirits concerning the Nationals. What he found fun in basketball was the challenge it offered to him, the way his skills would cross swords with another and most likely the mutual love for the sport he could sense in the other through a game.

That was Aomine's style.

"I don't regret it one bit."

"As long as you can play basketball, is it?" She said as she recalled what he said during their first encounter.

"You got it right. Just talking about it makes me want to play! Catch, Asaka!"

"Uwa!" All of sudden, he threw the ball at her. The latter reacted awkwardly as she almost let it slip her hands, but also the hamburger he gave to her earlier. The ball between her hands, she looked at it and partilly got a clue of what Aomine intended to make her do.

"Let's have a one-on-one!"

Just as she guessed, he challenged her for a play. "But I don't know how to play basketball."

"Everyone can dribble and shoot!" He hit the ball in her hands from beneath and caught it back before his fingers nimbly began to start dribbling. In a swift motion, he darted toward the hoop and with one hand he raised the ball next to the rim and scored. As he recovered from the jump, he put his hands on his waist and grinned at her proudly. "See?"

Ritsu couldn't shake off the impression of being provoked by him, even if she doubted it was genuinely intentional from him. "...Are you trying to show off, Aomine-kun?"

"It's just the basic!" Aomine laughed at her perplexed face and picked up the ball. "Even you can manage it!"

"Well, even if I do, it'd pretty boring for you to play against me. Our level difference is quite big."

"And what?"

"And what, what?" She asked back, wondering about what he wanted to hear next.

"If you play for the fun, who cares about the level?" He retorted, as if he found it plain obvious. "I don't think you should really care about it. Admittedly you do a sport because you're good or excel at it, but if there was only that, that'd be damn boring. A level is just something that trap you within a limit."

The navyhead got a point, and his statement rung similar to Hibari's. Was her view on sports being that naive?

"Be it basketball or volleyball, it's the same for all sports, you just have to prove yourself. That's where you get the fun!"

Aomine truly shone. When she first met him, the flame in his eyes she had thought of a passing glint; now vibrantly burned. It never had died or flickered, it was constantly present in him. Although she knew little of him, with such a bare expression, it wasn't hard to tell and to reaffirm it once again : Aomine was totally in love with basketball.

A true basketball freak.

She couldn't shake off her mind this silly and unflattering impression of the navyhead. She meant no offense to him, nor to Akashi or Midorima for viewing them as an alien and a horoscope maniac, respectively.

Nonetheless, they sure knew how to make first impressions.

"Besides, you told me you were going to show your true self!"

The blunt way he put it made it sound like she really held some secret potential when there was none in fact, and Ritsu laughed quietly at it. An ordinary player like her still had a long way before getting praises, but the prospect wasn't bad with some support.

And somewhat she was happy to know that Aomine actually cared about the promise she made days ago with the colorful bunch, as she thought only her gave a real consideration to it.

"I did say so." She confirmed, putting the hamburger inside her school bag and left it next to Aomine's. Then she removed her white jacket and rolled up her sleeves before confronting the tanned boy who greeted her on the court with a big smile.

Both ready, he threw the ball at her again. "Bring it on!"

And so began their game.

Kicking off with a dribble, she stood still a short while to familiarize herself with its rhythm. Despite her taking her little time, Aomine didn't make a move and kept alert of any responses from her. When she deemed the moment right to face the boy head on, she ran toward him, the latter got ready to halt her but in the instant she attempted to outflank him, the ball suddenly slipped her control and bounced on the asphalt with all the awkwardness she had played with.

"Oh." was the only sound she got to emit. And to say she felt confident on this one, that was instead a big failure.

She ran after the ball while the boy remained speechless, being given instant confirmation that she really didn't know how to play basketball.

"Sorry, I'll try again."

"Don't be sorry! You just need time to get used to it."

She gave him a simple nod of the head, ready for another attempt.

She went under the same process, like at the first try, this time stressing more her focus on the ball control. She darted in his direction, the ball still under her control. But the instant she stood next to him, Aomine stole it, taking advantage of a second of inattention, and before she could even catch on to his movements, she heard a swish and the bounces of the ball crashing onto the ground.

"Wah...!" She gasped when realising he just scored with a shot. It was swift and clean, as expected of basketball player.

By the way, by focusing too much on the ball, she totally forgot about her actual opponent whom didn't need to be asked twice to reveal himself. He didn't spare her on this one, even against a beginner. Though he didn't seem the type to make a real difference on that aspect, as he just said it before.

As long as there was fun, who cared about the level, huh? Then, it meant that his way of playing was practically the same to whoever he faced. Amateurs or confirmed players, he would play in all fairness, without restraining himself by a mere notion known as level.

So, in addition to ball control, she also had to give maximal attention to him in order to get a slight chance to approach the hoop. That was far more things to consider than what she learnt in PE classes when basketball was on the agenda.

Truth to be said, she didn't really dislike it and gave her a little more consideration for basketball.

"Basketball sure requires a lot of attention." Ritsu commented as she went fetching the ball.

"Volleyball's pretty much the same, right?"

She nodded in agreement, leaving a faint chuckle skimmed his ears with delight.

"I certainly won't be a basketball player but I don't mind learning it from you. It's quite fun!"

"That's the spirit!"

The two of them resumed their game.

Like she predicted, Aomine played at his pace and as beginner, she barely stood a chance to score. After facing him countless time now, the quickness of his responses made him quite hard to get past, but slowly she gained some confidence in her play. It had yet to be on par with the level of a freshman in the basketball club, still she was proud of it. The small accomplishment of managing to control her dribble while running had quickened her interest, and the fun she had by playing against him.

For the umpteenth time, she went straight at Aomine, yet she learnt enough to propose a small change of tactics. So instead of trying to outflank him directly, she briefly halted before him and pass the ball from an hand to another to break his rhythm and froze him momentarily, which was apparently a successful attempt as she saw him cocking an eyebrow at her action.

However, she made a mistake in her attempt to get past him. A sloppy mistake, she had to say. She tried to outflank him, the ball was in her left hand, while thus far she only managed to control the dribble with her right hand.

And needless to say, Aomine took the opportunity to snatch the ball and score with ease.

"You begin to get the hang of it, Asaka!"

"I still have a long way." She said in pants, kind

"That's for sure." He instantly replied, leaving no room to a single doubt.

"You don't even try to lie!"

"Because it's the truth. You never managed to get near the hoop!"

A faint flush of embarrassment colored up her cheek by hearing this hard fact coming out from his mouth.

"...By the end of the day, I'll score at least one point!" She exclaimed in frustration.

A bit startle by the sudden shout, he gawked at her, holding the ball between his hands.

"But it's already evening."

He unconscsiously added more to the awkwardness of the moment, and she felt defeated.

"W-Well, you get the main point..."

Even so fatigue could be felt in all her limbs, she still wanted to remain a fair match to Aomine who kept playing with her without a hint of boredom. Just for this, she couldn't give up.

Coming back to him, the latter simply agreed with fake disinterestement and returned to his position after making a perfect shot just to provoke her.

"Good luck, then. You'll need it."

"We'll see!"

Under the evening sky, shouts and laughs from two teenagers revelling in their game.

Complely forgetting about the late hour nor the consequences of such innocence.


	17. Festival Arc (1)

_The festival arc begins!_

_I say "arc" and not "chapter" because it will be a very, very loooooong~ day._

_I'll divide it into several parts. How many parts? That's still unknown... I got a bit carried away with the festival thing, but encountering all of the GoM takes a lot of time and energy._

_And who says "festival" mean silly moments and bonds. Nobody can escape the merry mood!_

_Hope you'll enjoy the Festival Arc!_

* * *

In this perfect sunny day, the school had opened its door to the public, families and friends were welcomed by cheerful mascots holding big colorful placard or students handing out leaflets who spared no effort to appeal potential customers to their class. Sweet aroma were floating in the air making already slaver the hungry ones who headed to the different rows of food stands lined up at the main entrance; while others were taking their time in idle chatters enjoying the festival particular atmosphere. As time ticked away, the hallways were crowded, people got in line in front of most popular class attractions where a couple of students tried to regulate the flow holding a small placard indicating the time of the waiting line.

Amidst the crowd, Ritsu was reading the school festival program and circled with a pen all the activities that seemed fun, trying to organize by the way her time as the play her class was performing was programmed in the afternoon, like so she only had the morning to wander around.

Half past ten. She still had time, picking her first destination she climbed the stairs to join the third year floor where a class was doing fortune-telling as an attraction, interested by what fate awaited her during this day. Fortunately, they were fewer people than the first year floor.

Welcomed by a student, she entered the dark room, windows were completely shut by night blue curtains preventing any ray of light to penetrate yet she was bewitched by the starry sky replicate just above her. The stars were reproduced by little diodes fixed on the ceiling creating a certain enchanting atmosphere.

Lowering her eyes, she examinated the room, seven tables were spread across it where were sitting down students with their head covered with a simple veil. Some were reading cards while others were fortune-telling waving their hand above a crystal ball.

Noticing a free table, she sit down and was greeted by a shady girl, her head was almost covered by the veil.

"Ohoh...Are you troubled by love?" Ritsu raised an eyebrow having the impression to have hear this voice somewhere. "Spring has finally come for you."

"No it's not." She narrowed her eyes suspisciouly as she tried to discern her fortune-teller's identity.

"Your dear senpai Hoshino won't be pleased to hear it."

Ritsu leaped off the chair and unveiled that familiar figure who was, like she guessed, Hoshino herself. "Hoshino-senpai!"

The tall girl hushed her kōhai, sensing all the gaze were upon them, they quietly sit back.

"Since when are you doing fortune-telling plus it's not even your class?" She said in a low voice leaning forward for Hoshino to hear her among the other people on the class.

"I've never done fortune-telling! I have to replace a friend of mine." Her senpai sighed dejectedly putting her hand under her chin. "Her boyfriend was only free this morning so she begged me to do it. Ah! This sucks! Why did I say yes? It's my last school festival in Teikō...! Damn it!"

Her face laid flat on the table, lamenting like she was reciting some sutra.

"Say, Ritsu. Do you have the festival program?" Handing the depliant, Hoshino skimmed through when her jaded eyes opened wide. "I totally forget about that!"

"What?"

"The Stamp Rally competition!" She clarified smiling from ear to ear.

"What's so special about that event?"

"Of course you don't know about it. It's sorta traditional event organised by the Riddle club during the festival. There's a rumor about it. It says if a boy and girl pairing are first to cross the finishing line, they'll be blessed by Love! You hear that!"

Ritsu backed away as her senpai's face came closer in excitation. "I see...And you believe it? That sounds a bit ridiculous."

"Don't underestimate ancestral legend!" She slapped the table and crossed her arms leaning on her chair. "Hey Ritsu, I need some counselling!"

"Normally it's the other way around. Aren't I suppose to be the one asking for counselling?...I'm the customer."

"Shut up Ritsu! In exchange for my great teaching, tell me what would be the best approach." Ritsu expected the worst, everytime she came up with an idea it was always weird suggestions. "Participating in the Stamp Rally competition, do my utmost to win and bind someone with love or trying to find my soulmate the old rough way?"

«None» was the answer she kept to herself, what kind of approach were those? She really didn't understand why she was so frantic to find love.

"Participate in the competition...Even if you don't win, you'll keep memories. And who are you going to bin...ask?"

"Don't mind small details ! As far as I know, there's a ton of guys in this school!"

What had she done thought Ritsu right at this instant. Soon there would be a crazy girl running around the school in search for a partner.

Before her senpai requested anything more from her she decided to take her leave. Quickly.

"G-Good luck, Hoshino-senpai. Spare us any commotion and don't involve the captain in your mad plan."

That said, she rushed to the exit bowing to the boy at the entrance.

* * *

Ritsu breathed a sigh when she came down to the first year floor as crowded as it was before. Taking a brief look the program, she slalommed between people, reached the outside door and exit the main building.

As soon as she stepped in the courtyard a faint sweet smell tickled her nose, maybe she could grab some food before heading to the gymnasium where the school's orchestra was scheduled to perform in ten minutes.

In front of a stand of takoyaki, she heard a soft voice calling out to her when she turned, she faced Momoi running in a astounding appearance waving happily her hand above her.

"Why are you dressed like that, Momoi-chan?" Ritsu was baffled at what she was actually seeing.

Momoi stopped before her dressed in the Teikō boy uniform, wearing a short light pink wig coiffed in a masculine hairstyle and on top of her head was a crown of white flowers. Honestly she was really cute in this formal attire, her blue shirt was buttoned to the neck where, instead of the usual ribbon of the girl's uniform, a black necktie was perfectly tied falling straight to black pants hiding her beautiful long legs which may have broke the heart of her devoted admirers.

"It's our class concept. It's a café where all the boys and the girls of our class swap gender. Apparently it's really popular nowadays." Explained clearly Momoi handing her leaflet of her class very atypical café.

Unable to take her eyes away from her, she couldn't help but thinking how the boy uniform changed Momoi's perfect silhouette and wondering how the opposite would work. How a boy would look on a girl uniform... All of a sudden, she realised something very, very wild.

"Momoi-chan, does that mean that..." She stammered at the preposterous idea.

Guessing perfectly what she was trying to say, a smile curved on Momoi's lips. "Aomine-kun and Midorin are also dressed. In girls!"

"«Mi-Midorin»...?" She repeated stupidly the cute nickname, already anticipating a certain green-haired boy's annoyed reaction.

"You'll understand when you see them." Momoi drew her face near her with scintillating eyes."Are you curious?"

It was too tempting to actually miss such a unique sight.

"You don't know how."

Momoi giggled happily and led the way to the her class.

* * *

In front of the class, curious people peeked inside from the hallway commenting on how funny this café seemed and hesitated to enter when they witnessed the awful service of two particular boys.

"Ah! Momoi, perfect timing! I know you're on your break but could you help us with those two?" Also dressed as a boy, Yagami was dejected glimpsing at her two stubborn classmates then glancing back she noticed her volleyball partner next to Momoi. "Oh Asaka! Wanna take a look inside? I have to warn you, this zone is really dangerous. If you don't want to have tea or café spilled on you or be yelled at, you better avoid this place."

Likely Midorima and Aomine were better off in a basketball court than in a café.

"Y-Yagami! You're supposed to appeal customers not scare them off!" Momoi intervened in exasperation covering her eyes with her hand.

"Well, I'm speaking the truth. Those two are lost causes." Yagami stepped away from the door inviting them to go in. "But if you want to take the risk, I won't hold you back. Have fun, you two! I'm going to see Tomoe. Momoi, don't forget to do something about them."

Momoi and Ritsu stepped inside the café. Inside, the decoration had a rural feel, in each corners were placed painted tree cardboards and a small path of grass were created from the entrance door to the exit leading the customers to each tables covered with white and red checked tableclothe where some daisy were put here and there. Efforts were made to create a sort of greenery spot giving the impression to be on a picinc.

"Woah. Your class did a great job. Well done." said Ritsu impressed by the pastoral decoration glancing curiously around.

Momoi chirped. "I knew you'd like it!"

Still at the entrance, both girls went on commenting the decoration before a green-haired boy...no girl interrupted their idle talk glowering at them who dared to step in that cursed room.

"Why are you here?"

"Midorin!"

"Momoi, I told you to stop calling me that." mumbled Midorima at his wit's end then he shot daggers at Ritsu who was hiding her smile behind a leaflet, careful not to stir the poor boy even more when she heard his grave voice in this girly appearance. "Why did you bring her here?"

"Asaka-chan was curious."

"Are you here to mock me?"

It wasn't her intention but taking a close look at him it was difficult to remain indifferent.

Overall Midorima could be a pretty cute girl. He was wearing a long green wig with bunches to each side tied with thin red ribbons under his ears, leaving his two long strands of hair fitting closely his slender body. His classical hairstyle combined with his black glasses gave him the impression of a very shy and innocent girl which was even more emphasized by his neat appearance. There were no excentricity, simple as he was, his shirt was buttoned to the top with the usual black ribbon of the girl uniform tied in a perfect knot, and his black skirt, hidden behind a white apron, revealed his firm legs covered by short white socks just under his knees.

But the ultimate item that made him real cute was that crown of flowers on his head. Despite his tense face which sort of wasted the outfit, he was overflowing with cuteness.

Momoi as well was wearing one certainly to fit the rural mood. However on Midorima, it was too laughable.

"Y-You're beautiful dressed like this." She stuttered behind the leaflet avoiding eye contact with him or she would literaly laugh under his nose.

"Asaka. Leave at once." He said back narrowing his eyes.

"Geez! Midorin, she's a customer!" Momoi reprimanded the green haired boy as he skipped the warm welcome he was supposed to give for customers. "What welcoming is this? You have to smile, Midorin! I showed you how to do it yesterday."

Momoi drew her face close to his, showing him a business-like smile. "Like this! That's not complicated."

"And as far as I remember, yesterday Aomine and you doubled up with laughter when I was exercising."

The pink haired girl stiffened then scratched her cheek having a little sense of guilt of what happened the day before.

"I-I'm not used to see you smile so...brightly, Midorin...! Anyway you have to make some effort or the customers won't come! It's a festival, don't look so gloomy."

She looked frankly at him trying to convince him with her gaze. It seemed Midorima got a soft spot for her manager as he just sighed and put a crown of flowers on Ritsu's head without any comment.

"What is it for?" She asked curious of the meaning of this sweet attention.

"Hehe. For each customer we gave a crown of flowers to welcome them. Like this they can feel the mood of our café and leave with a little souvenir." explained Momoi in a chuckle.

"You even thought of small details." said Ritsu impressed on their surprising organisation. From the decoration to the service everything had been carefully thought up.

"A festival has to be enjoyed!"

Momoi was a ray of sun. She was an outgoing and a bit of a carefree girl who enjoyed to her fullest every moment she could share with her friends. Even the distant Midorima could not remain indifferent to her cheerful personality, no wonder she was a respected manager.

"Uwaaa! Aomine-kun, be extra careful with these this time!"

Appearing behind a screen seperating the improvised kitchen and the café, Aomine was carrying a tray with four cups of tea and two cakes parts in his hand and brought it to a table where four girls were sit down chattering loudly.

"Here." said Aomine briefly as he dropped off abruptly the tray on the table rattling the dishes on it that even some tea had spilled, and retraced his steps leaving the four girls completely dumbfounded.

That was what Yagami meant by dangerous zone.

"Da...Aomine-kun!"

"What?" He perked up as soon as Momoi called out to him.

"You can't do that! What kind of service is that?" Facing the weary tanned boy, she reproached him his lack of manners with the customers.

"Because you think I'd be all smiles and sunshine in this stupid get-up!"

Here comes another time bomb Momoi had to disarm with extra care. Thickheaded as he was, Aomine wasn't the kind to obediently listen when he felt annoyed so talking some sense to him was a real pain, even Akashi admitted he was sometimes a very rowdy boy.

"We're all looking stupid! Especially the guys! I just have to look at Midorima to creep the hell out!"

Momoi burst out laughing followed by Ritsu who was still hiding half of her face behind the leaflet. Listening to his complain in that outfit was too hilarous.

Unlike Midorima, he looked like a fiery girl just as he was. Coiffed with a lovely bob hairstyle separated with a red headband, short hair seemed to suit him more than long hair matching his usual fresh image that so particular about him. Not changing his habit in spite of the girl uniform attire, he wore it very casually. His blue shirt was a bit disheleved, loosened near the neck where the compulsory black ribbon was dangling around the collar as he was certainly too lazy to tie it. The apron he had tied aroung his waist wasn't a good omen for the future considering how messy it was with tea and coffee stains all over that showed how brutal his service was.

Fortunately the magical crown of flowers was here to reajust his poor behavior. Ritsu didn't know who had this simple idea but it really changed a person's appearance.

"I could say the same, Aomine." reacted unexpectedly Midorima. Just by glancing at him, everyone could tell he was at the end of his rope. "It is unsightly to see you like this as well."

"For a library girl, you sure talk a lot."

A sudden cold wind blew through the class and lightnings sparked between the two proud «girls» challenging each other by gaze. No matter how Ritsu looked at it, that scene was too absurd. Her two manly friends dressed as girls were bickering like...two girls whose rivalry was just cause by trivialities.

"Okay you two, that's enough! Get the hell out of here and go hand out leaflets! I can't stand it anymore!" intervened a boy with two ponytails as he kicked them out the classroom and left them some leaflets which Midorima and Aomine stared at, pissed off.

"By the way, call Takeda and Maeda back if you see them! We need their help."

"Ah?! I don't want to go around school in that outfit!" exclaimed Aomine, definetely against to parade like that.

"Like I care! You two are useless here! Now do your job!" The boy kicked them and slammed the door under their nose leaving them in the dust.

Behind the door, the two continued to argue loudly putting the blame on each other until they stopped; both focused on something in the distance when Aomine suddenly took a sprint in the opposite direction followed promptly by Midorima who tried to keep a low profile.

Both girls exchanged curious look and glanced back at the door window where they briefly caught sight of a familiar red haired boy passing in front of the café.

As everything became clear, the two girls laughed.

* * *

_As always thank you all for reading, following and reviewing my story!_

_Feel free to review!_

_The next chapter will be update shortly. _


	18. Festival Arc (2)

When they left the café, Momoi had been charged by her desesperate classmates to keep an eye on Aomine and Midorima to prevent any fuss.

While walking in the hallway, the pink haired girl removed her wig and raised her head happy to feel the fresh air through her hair again.

"This summer is so hot!" Momoi flapped her hand close to her face. "I'm beat! Since the festival opening, I always have to keep a watch on Dai-ch...Aomine-kun...and Midorin too..."

"I think the main reason is only you can truly get a hold of those two especially Aomine-kun. You sure know how to handle him. You two are close friends? You sometimes call him «Dai-chan»."

Momoi nodded with a peaceful smile on her face. "We're childhood friends. Since we were little, we often used to play and watch basketball matches together."

"Is that why you decided to join the basketball club as a manager?"

"Hm! I love basketball! This sport is at once so simple and complex. From basic movements to elaborate tactics, alone or in teamplay, novice or pro, it's always fun to watch basketball!"

"I'd never thought one day I'd call you a basketball freak too."

Ritsu was astonished by Momoi's passion for the sport, though she never doubted she had this flame in her considering she became a manager of the basketball club, it went beyond expectation. That cheerful tone she used to talk about it was fully suffisant to understand that.

"I'm not the same." She said in a jest as she sticked her tongue out.

Maybe but not everyone could handle the first string sustained training and provide helpful datas like she did. She was a true asset of the club from what she heard long time ago.

"They're lucky to have you."

"Don't say it like that. You're making me blush." She put both her hands on her cheeks and wriggled shyly which made Ritsu crack a smile.

Momoi Satsuki was truly one of those pale lights that formed altogether the glorious Teikō basketball club. A simple glow yet so warm.

"Anyway, Asaka-chan, I'm happy we're friends!" She declared this out of the blue looking at her straight in the eyes. "So since it's not often we're only between girls, let's make the most of it!"

Her heart skipped a beat, how sweet Momoi was. Her pink haired friend took her by the hand and pulled her in the hallway.

"What are you going to do about Aomine-kun and Midorima-kun?"

"No need to worry. Nothing will happen!"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Boys are somehow predictable." Momoi smirked showing a certain confidence on what she was claiming. "When Aomine is going to be tired of visiting the festival, he'll certainly laze around in a quiet and cool spot given the summer heat, too hot to lift a finger. He won't move till noon until his stomach starts growling." She went on explaining, rendering Ritsu completely speechless. "And Midorin is definitely with him. They are both on the same boat so he won't let him get away and let him laze around quitely. As we're talking, they must be arguing."

Althought it were mere assumptions, Ritsu didn't have to think very hard to imagine them follow Momoi's prediction. Outside basketball, Aomine was the type to go at his own pace, doing things when he felt like it. So of course he'd take a nap instead of parading in a girl outfit, it could hardly have been otherwise. As for Midorima, his seriousness could not tolerate his teammate's easygoing attitude.

Momoi was very familiar with their behaviour pattern, showing she cared deeply about them as player and friend. Her capacity analysis was high, she even went as far to look over her players habit and behaviour to have complete data. She was the ideal manager a team could dream of.

"You're kind of scary, Momoi-chan."

However, having Momoi as an enemy would be terrifying in a sense. Her intel was detailed, and accurate to booth, she was a true database for allies. Consequently if there were allies, this also implied enemies and better not be on that side with Momoi's keen senses. All the datas she kept had mutilple purposes but the main one was to get the upper-hand. In every aspect. In Basketball or not, she could likely disarm anyone with just intel.

"That's mean, Asaka-chan! I'm just scouting for the basketball team." She pouted cutely. "Do you want me to reveal some secrets about you?"

"You even did research on me?"

"Hm! Because I like you! I also collect datas of those I like."

"W-What kind of data...?" Ritsu cringed as she heard it, though she felt happy to know Momoi was fond of her.

"Relax. Just common datas for now! Like your blood type is A, your birthday is on 14th April, you learned to play volleyball when you were in 4th grade, you have a little brother, your favorite food is matcha ice cream especially the one in that small restaurant near the station, your bust size is..."

"W-Wait! I've heard enough!"

Ritsu shut Momoi's mouth with her hands before she revealed out loud something futile. How could she be so well-informed about her privacy?... To even know her measurement, she was a fearsome scout.

"Really...I don't know how you get those datas and I don't want to know it..."

"Well, they can be helpful when you need to know something particular about someone..." Momoi tilted her head with a mischievous smile. "...Like Akashi-kun."

Suddenly her cheeks became bright red and she stammered unable to let out a simple word. Oh god, she knew about her utter failure two weeks ago when she tried to invite Akashi to a have lunch with her.

"Murasakibara-kun complained a lot ever since Akashi-kun had made him undergo a spartan training."

"Aha...I-I know he had told me everything."

As she promised him that day, they had met up right after practice to vent their frustration by eating cakes. Murasakibara was a bundle of nerves until they arrived to the tea shop whinging about Akashi's punishment when her got off lightly even she was the mastermind. Well «mastermind» was a strong word for such a simple-minded plan but she still held responsability.

Remembering that day, she scrutinized her friend realising she may have not chosen the right person to tell her idea.

"Maybe you'd have been a better choice." She must have some details regarding Akashi's habit or behaviour.

"Huh? M-Me?" Momoi strangely stiffened as she looked up to the ceiling.

"Yes. You may have certainly discern some weakness about him...If he has one though."

"No-no-no. Don't involve me in any of your scheme." She gestured her hands in front her.

"Er...I never mention or intend to do something against him. I was just saying I might have had a slight chance of success with your help."

Momoi laughed nervously dropping her eyes on the floor her foot spinning in a shy movement.

"No sweat, after my failure, it's understandable that you don't want to be involved with me. In any case, I'd never put you under such danger."

"Don't take me wrong, Asaka-chan!" She gasped. "If you ever need help, I'll be here! It's just...! Don't tease Akashi-kun too much! He's rather hung-up on that aspect."

"I'm not teasing him...To be more accurate, I'm the one being made a fool of." Ritsu shrugged folding her arms. "From the start, my feelings are genuine. But he just don't get a girl's heart, does he?"

"Well, Akashi-kun is a boy. Although he easily grasps other minds, a girl's heart is too irrational even for him to grasp it in its entirety."

"Figures."

The two girls burst into laughter. A girl's heart could get the better of Akashi? A part of truth might lie in her words, though a love confused Akashi would be as rare and spectacular as a solar eclipse. Such a view might never occured, but their imagination worked perfectly for them.

"You care for him, don't you?"

"Encountering a guy like him only happens once in a lifetime. I better treasure him. Don't you think so?"

A radiant smile loomed on her friend's face, nodding wholeheartidly. Full of spirit, the girl turned tail and skipped, followed by Ritsu walking quietly by her side.

* * *

"Next time, write me a form of all my personal data you collected." Ritsu said while Momoi was humming cheerfully squeezing a pale blue chick bolster in her arms. "I'm being worried that you're so knowledgeable of me."

Strolling on the second year floor, they had stopped at a special class event that were testing friendship in the form of a quizz contest. Momoi wanted to try it as she fell for colorful handmade chick bolsters which were the prize for the team that ranked first. In each session which lasted twenty-five minutes, three duos of friends were competiting and had to answer questions. The quizz was divided in two rounds, the first were general knowledge questions and the second, the longer one, consisted in answering intimate questions that were asked to each duos like what was their favorite color, the best memory they had together, etc... And the duo who had the highest score won.

Momoi and her was hugely successful during the first round answering almost all the questions. But the second round was where her pink haired friend revealed her true face. While she could only answer basic questions concerning Momoi, the latter got a perfect score.

Thus she gained the MVP title of the day and got the fabulous prize, the pale blue chick bolster.

That was the reason Ritsu felt a bit worried.

"Tehehe, where do you want to go next, Asaka-chan?"

They had gone to most of the interesting attractions. As she looked over the program, she felt uneasy as if someone was observing them and that was not the first time. She noticed it just after they had finished their second attraction. At first she thought it was just an impression but that feeling of uneasiness was lingering. She tried several to identify a suspicious character but everytime resulted in a fail.

Riled up by that bothersome feeling, she turned back and scanned the crowd and as always they were nothing unsual.

"What's wrong?"

"Don't you feel like someone is watching us?"

She stared at her cluelessly. "No, I don't. And who would do that?"

"Maybe it's one of your admirers. You're quite popular among guys."

Indeed Momoi was renown for her beauty in school. As she heard, a lot of guys confessed to her and suffered failure.

"Impossible..."

"In any case, I don't want to be stalk by some pervert!"

She grabbed Momoi by her hand which startled her and they started to run down the hallway. As they tried to cross the crowd, Ritsu glanced back and caught sight of a strange squirrel mascot who tried to follow them in spite of the kids getting all excited around him.

Now she thought it back, that huge squirrel was always in the picture when she tried to figure out who was watching them. She didn't pay attention to him, the kids was so keen on him that he didn't arouse her suspiscion.

So it was him! That damn squirrel!

"A-Asaka-chan, slow down!"

"Look behind you! There's someone suspicious following us."

"You mean the squirrel?!" She shouted as she glanced back at the mascot who tried to open up a way among the crowd.

"Exactly. I think it's that pervert who's been watching us. We're going to corner him!"

For now she had to isolate him. Ritsu and Momoi ran to a less crowded place and when they took a sharp turn, they stopped and lurked in wait of the squirrel.

He followed, not expecting a trap, but before he could do anything he fell flat on the floor as Ritsu tripped him up. The cardboard he was holding crashed in a loud noise echoing in the quiet hallway near the two girls' feet.

"That hurts~!"

Ritsu and Momoi backed away when the defeated squirrel tried to stand up.

"Momo-chin, Asa-chin, you meanies!"

That nonchalant voice and those nicknames.

"Murasakibara-kun! Is that you? Why didn't you call us out?" Momoi helped him get up as the poor giant had some difficulties to get on his two feet with that huge disguise.

"I did...But you didn't hear me." He replied when removing the mascot head.

As he stood before them in his huge squirrel disguise, they couldn't help but smile at his cute appearance. Some lock of hair that usually hid a part of his face were pinned by a black hair clip revealing his sulking face, frowning slightly with his lips curved downward like a child who had been refused a candy. His face was constrasting with the happy face of the squirrel mascot that had a broad smile and big black eyes glittering with dreams and happiness. His joyous face may come from the fact that a red cape was attached around his neck turning the ordinary squirrel into a superhero. No wonder the kids were crazy around him, the cape changed everything plus the costume seemed to be tailored as it fit perfectly Murasakibara's broad build, giving the kids an impression of a super giant squirrel hero.

"Of course we couldn't with that costume and all the noise!"

"But Asa-chin seems to have noticed me. She always looked my way when I tried to catch you up...Why did you run away?"

"I didn't really notice you until now, Murasakibara-kun. I thought some pervert were watching us. That's all...But I'm glad to find out it was only you."

Ritsu gave a knowing smile to Momoi who responded in a faint chuckle leaving the purple haired head in deep thought.

"Then I want you to apologise for what you did earlier."

"What?"

"I want you to buy me some snacks!" At the idea, Murasakibara stopped sulking and quivered like a happy child.

"Aren't you preying on Asaka-chan's kindness?"

"Hum...No. It really hurt when I fell. Asa-chin is a brute..." He replied casually with vague movement of the head. "And it's easier to ask you than Aka-chin ever since he got mad at me."

"If that's not preying on, then what is it?" retorted Momoi half-heartedly.

"No I won't buy you anything. I'm not Akashi-kun's substitute." The giant boy frowned upset to be refused. "I'll apologise in my own way. If I talk to him, everything will be back to normal, he'll buy you snack again."

"No, I want snacks. I'm sure if you talk to him, it'll be worse...You always screw up when it comes to Aka-chin."

"I see you trust me a lot." Ritsu said with sacarsm vexed by his honesty because he saw right, she never got the upperhand with that alien named Akashi. "Then why don't we make a bet? If I fail, I'll buy you any snacks you want, however if I win...er...I'll think about it later."

"Asaka-chan!"

"Something's fishy. Asa-chin is too assertive." His animal instinct awoke, Murasakibara eyed her suspiciously like she was trying to trap him. "...It's like flying piggies, it's strange..."

"Because you had seen one?..." Momoi asked stricken by a nervous laugh.

She was compared to «flying piggies» when she kindly offered her help to reconciliate him with his red teammate, though it wasn't a matter to meddle in because Akashi had certainly overlooked their little trouble by now. Moreover, before the festival he had his hands full with all the preparations and the basketball practice, so he probably didn't find the time to care about his teammate's feelings. And knowing Murasakibara, he didn't make the first move to talk to Akashi as it might hurt his own pride.

"And you're unfair, Asa-chin."

"Why?"

"You know Aka-chin won't punish you heavily even if you do the worst thing to him."

"Oh sure he won't bother to punish me. He'll kill me right away."

A blank ensued between the squirrel hero and the two girls.

"Asa-chin, you cheater, I'm through with you." Vexed, Murasakibara put back the mascot head and fidgeting in impatience. "But I'm hungry~! I've been assaulted by kids...people want to take photos with me...strange girls hugged me...No one wants to buy me snack...Everyone is mean..."

With that super squirrel costume on him, he didn't know how comical his whinge was.

"I didn't ask you, Murasakibara-kun, but what your class is doing for the festival?"

"A photo booth. With animal costumes. Everyone can dress up and take photos..."

"I want to try it!" exlaimed Momoi and she begged Ritsu with sparkling eyes to head for the photo booth. She gave in, sometimes it was hard to bore a stern face against her candor, she was really enjoying the festival.

"Can I come with you?" asked Murasakibara tilting the mascot head.

"Yes! We'll take a souvenir photo together!"

"Can I have snack after?"

"It depends on Asaka-chan's mood."

"Why me exactly?"

"Because you have money!" said both her friends at the same time.

That being said, the squirrel showed them the way.

* * *

_Phew. Momoi got her moment! _

_Now then, only Akashi remains. Ready for some Asaka and Akashi moments? (It was about time, you all think. I'm right?)_

_I'm sorry..._


	19. Festival Arc (3)

"Uwaaaaaa~!" was the shout Momoi let out when she saw the long, very long waiting line in front of Murasakibara's class. From the entrance along the hallways excited girls was squealing waiting to get inside, plus the two hours of waiting time didn't seem to make them abandon. On the contrary, they were all fired up for an unknown reason.

"What kind of trick did your class pull on to have so many people?"

"It must be him. Apparently he's very popular. I think he's a model. I forgot his name though...What was it...? It begins with a Ki...Ki...Ki...Ki...«Kimoi»..." Murasakibara nodded to himself persuaded he had found the name of his classmate.

"He'd cry if he heard you." said Ritsu back in a monotonous tone as she already knew who he was talking about."That's not nice."

"You mean all those girls are here for Kise-kun?"

"Kise...? Ah! That was his name." The purple haired boy just remembered the name of his shiny classmate. "Yeah and there's even more girls than the last time. They're all so noisy."

Momoi and Ritsu watched the long line and thought simultaneously that they wouldn't have the patience to wait two hours or more for a single photo.

"Maybe we should give up."

"I agree. It'd be a waste of time."

"But you don't have to wait. This waiting line has been set up just for his fans." clarified Murasakibara as he put a smile back on Momoi's face.

"Then if we want to take a picture with you..."

"Hm. We can do it now."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Inside the class, Kise's fans were fawning all over him, posing with him being dressed with dog ears on his head and worn paws on his hands. As the shiny model he was, he took the pose with his fangirls also dressed with animal feature but considering the never ending line, a long and tiring day awaited him for sure.

After taking a glance over the model, she turned to Momoi who was already chosing her animal accessories with care. Apparently the mouse feature seemed to have caught her eyes as she was intensely staring at the cute round ears. Meanwhile Murasakibara went to inform his classmates in charge of the photo.

"Look Asaka-chan!" Momoi put the mouse ears and the muzzle wriggling happily. She was too cute for words. "What are you going to wear?"

"I'm still chosing." There were all sorts of accessories, the choice was so large to even know where to begin.

"Try this!" Momoi showed her a fishy hairball.

"What's this?"

"A lion's mane!"

"And you want me to wear this...Tell me you're joking."

"You'd look cute in it!"

"Your definition of cute is definetely wrong, Momoi-chan." Momoi advanced toward her with a mischievous smile on her lips, trying to put the mane around her head. She backed away when she collided with Murasakibara who grasped her shoulders at Momoi's request. Cornered, she removed her crown of flower and put the mane.

In the end, she had a strange hairball around her head and she thought twice about taking a look at the mirror given her pink haired friend's reaction who was thrilled by the result. Ritsu turned to Murasakibara whom she tried to get some support but maybe she was asking too much of him.

"You're funny. Like a sun with a weird face."

"...Can I remove it now?"

"No! You'll take the photo like this!" Momoi didn't let her say another word and placed themselves before a beach background. "Ah! Don't forget the paws!"

She urged Murasakibara to place himself between them.

"All set! Smile!"

Even if she wasn't fond of the get-up, Ritsu played along, a bit apprehensive of the final photo. They grabbed each arms of the squirrel all smiles who was posing like a real hero sticking out his chest and his hands on his waist.

After the clicking sound of the camera, she was relieved to remove the mane but Momoi wanted to take another photo because Murasakibara had kept his mascot head on.

"Ready? Take the pose!"

With that, her cheerful friend was satisfied. After several minutes of waiting, the printed photos came out. Momoi was all excited with the two photos in her hand. Ritsu was curious too and when she came upon her face, she couldn't help but laugh, she looked so awful next to the chirpy squirrel and the radiant mouse.

"We look ridiculous!" jested Momoi. "Next time, let's take a photo with everyone!"

"That's a good idea."

"Looks like you came to like this mane."

"Ah!" She was too engrossed on the photos that she forgot to remove the ugly hairball.

"Can we go eat now?"

They couldn't remain strict toward him any longer, Murasakibara had been very compliant even though those kind of girly things wasn't his cup of tea.

"What do you want to eat?"

The purple haired boy was ecstatic at Ritsu's question.

"I want―"

"Mo-Mo-Momoi-san!" A boy cut him off as he braced himself to speak to her pink haired friend. "C-Can I take a photo with you?"

He was certainly one of Momoi's admirers.

"But I'm not part of this class event..."

"Just one please! I really like you!"

A very devoted one to boot.

"What?! If she says yes, I want to take one with her too!" A jealous one appeared making Momoi very uncomfortable.

Then more and more boys flooded as they heard the commotion, all of them wanted a photo with her as it was surely a once in a lifetime chance for them to immortalize this instant.

The poor Momoi was completely overwhelmed by the boys' excitation gripping tightly the photos near her chest while backing away from them. The room was suddenly filled with loud shouts from the boys and squeals from Kise's fans.

It was chaos, some boys and girls began to argue blaming each others for making a ruckus.

"Leave Momo-chin alone." Surprisingly, Murasakibara faced them standing as a huge wall between her manager and those tiny boys who dared to ruin their moment when he neared his goal of getting snacks freely.

Despite Murasakibara's wall, the boys's excitation didn't wane, in fact his intervention had the opposite effect as they fired up, pestering him to move aside and letting them talk to Momoi.

"...So annoying...!"

Now they had pissed off the giant squirrel.

"Momo-chin...You don't want to take photo with them, right?"

"N-No, I don't...Why are you asking this now?"

"Then, we're leaving. I hate all those obstinate guys...They're pissing me off."

Murasakibara put back the mascot head on again and suddenly lifted Momoi up like a feather under the astonished gaze of her admirers who quieted down before the giant's strength. With the delicacy of a woodsman, he put her pink manager on his right shoulder, just as he would carry a sack of potatoes and rushed in the crowd, not bothered to knock over like a rugby player those who stood between him and food.

Anyhow, no one could stop the starving giant. It was a real mess.

"Murasakibara-kun! Wait! You forget Asaka-chan behind! Ah! And my bolster too~!" Ritsu heared Momoi's voice echoing in the distance, before infuriated admirers ran after the squirrel hero who kidnapped their sweet princess.

Left behind, Ritsu had a crazed look, the lion's mane still around her head, not exactly knowing what she was supposed to do from now. Running after them or waiting for things to calm down? After giving a sigh, she remove the mane, put back her crown of flower on her head, picked up the chick bolster as it fell on the floor when Momoi had been lifted in the air; and left the classroom.

The second option was the less troublesome.

Alone again, the calm was rather relaxing after that hectic episode in the photo booth event.

Poor Momoi, she wondered where Murasakibara had taken her and how he would manage to shrug her fanatic admirers off, seeing as a super giant hero squirrel running around the school campus was like a big black spot right in the middle of blank paint. In other words, he wouldn't be able to shake them off.

"Come to haunted house and have the most thrillling experience with your friends! Don't be shy~!"

A boy in a shabby ghost costume, as he just had a white sheet with two holes for his eyes covering all his body, was shouting across the hallway invinting people to give a try of the haunted house.

And it worked on Ritsu. Ghosts and cie had always picked her interest, with all the mystery and the thrill it brought, though she may not be mentally prepared to have a ghost appeared in front of her.

She headed to the event but stopped in her track. Wasn't it too lonely to go there alone?

First it would be better to find someone, maybe she could try asking a member of the volleyball club. Just when that idea crossed her mind, she caught sight of a certain redhead climbing the staircase.

Well, Akashi could do the trick.

"Akashi-kun! You come at the right time."

"Are you scheming something against me again?" He said as a greeting.

"What a greeting. I'm not scheming anything."

"It was a joke."

A joke...Did that word even exist in his vocabulary? She was persuaded he was asking her very seriously like he was already tired of her lousy plans. Plus his face wasn't smiling at all.

"...That was not funny." She tilted her side to side, Akashi being funny must be actually a pretty curious sight. "You're in good mood to feel like joking."

"That's the purpose of a festival. You too seem to have fun. That crown of flowers suits you well." His stern expression finally relaxed.

"It's a souvenir from Momoi-chan's café. They give a crown of flowers as a welcoming. Even the staff also wears one."

"I see. That explains why Aomine and Midorima wore one."

"You actually saw them?"

He nodded. "They're hard to miss. I'll probably stop by when I finish my tour."

When he mentionned his intention to visit the café, a strange image flashed in her mind : the respectable Akashi Seijūrō wearing a crown of flowers... That guy was definetely not cute, even that simple word associated with him made her shiver. What a dreadful image.

She was doomed if she said it out loud.

"Contrary to what you think, a crown of flowers can suit me."

"Wha...Are you an esper?!"

"It's written all over you face. You're quite easy to read."

"Well, excuse me for being like that." More like he was an alien specialize in reading mind. Ritsu brushed it off and preferred to change the subject. "Your tour, you said?"

"A tour of some game booths."

"Eh...how unexpected. I didn't imagine you spending your time playing games." Her eyes were fixed on that strange bag that made her quite curious given how big and full it was. "So in that bag is..."

"All my winning prizes."

"You won that much! How many game booths did you plunder, Akashi-kun?"

"Most of them. But I didn't come upon the prize you're holding." She casted a brief look at the pale blue chick bolster, being squeezed under her left arm.

"Y-You're interested in the chick bolster?"

"Yes. I want it in my collection."

His eyes were intently fixed on the pale blue chick bolster, his creepy interest worried Ritsu. The festival mood even had effect on him. And what sort of collection did he have?

"I see...Momoi-chan and I won it at a friendship quizz contest."

"I shall participate then." He declared with a smirk.

"Seriously? With who?"

"Who else but you?"

"A-Akashi-kun, it's a friendship quizz constest meaning that we have to know about each other a little before participating." She didn't like his piercing gaze as if what she just said was plain obvious.

"In that case, tell me about you since you are unconfident." Akashi tilted his head vaguely a bit exasperated about her unsureness.

"Wha...! Is that how you ask a friend a favor?" She gasped in a exagerrated way.

"As friends I don't understand why I should use a polite way to ask you a favor, Asaka. And the more you talk, the more we're wasting time. So I ask you a second time, tell me about you."

Unlike her moment with Momoi, she wasn't feeling that warm and fluffy sentiment in her heart when Akashi considered her as a friend, his commanding tone told her otherwise. He really had a particular way to express his friendship, but well, she couldn't expect him to utter sweet and gentle words even being his friend.

"...I'll help you but at one condition." She said at her own risk, he certainly wouldn't be mad at her if she set one condition.

"I'm all ears."

"I want you to accompany me to the haunted house event. After that, I'm all yours."

"Fair enough." Ritsu thought he would put more fight but she was surpringly mistaken. "Let's use the haunted house event to know more about each other."

Akashi bespoke her to show the way not leaving her time to fully appreciate her small accomplishment.

"Ritsuuuuuuu! Did you heaaaar from Masame? Oh, hellooo thereee Akashi!"

Here comes trouble. Hoshino dashed to her with apparently an important news about the captain. She halted before the ignorant Ritsu and shook her swinging back and forth using all her strength.

"Masame is also participating in the Stamp Rally competition! And guess who's her partner?"

"Who...?" Ritsu didn't have a choice but to ask as Hoshino glared at her. "And do you even remember that I told you to not involve the captain in your plan?"

"Oh shut your mouth, Ritsu! Her partner is the student council prez!"

"You're kidding! How did she manage such a thing?"

"No idea! But those two are an hindrance to my love plan! So I thought of a counter-measure!"

By the look of things, Hoshino had already thought of a back-up plan which was a very bad omen as always. She meant any harm in having a mixed opinion of her senpai but if truth be told Hoshino should just leave the brain thing to Hibari.

"If she chooses the top of the student body, then I need someone of the same calibre to win! So~!" Filled with confidence, she outstretched her arms ready to welcome Akashi in her embrace. "I, Hoshino Wakana, hereby choose Akashi Seijūrō as my partner for the Stamp Rally competition."

"Why formal speech?..." She was flabbergasted by her high level of stupidity. "And that logic of yours is completely wrong!"

"That's where you're mistaken, piano girl! Akashi is the best choice to go against two brains or even an army. Just by looking at his face, I can tell he's more wicked than Masame. I'm sure he'll find a way to annihilate that freaking duo and bring me victory!"

Even her had a crazy image of Akashi as she seemingly took him for the Demon Lord that would strike down her foes in her love quest.

"I thought your ultimate goal was to find love, not trying to kill Hibari-senpai."

"The path of love is full of sacrifices. Plus Akashi had all the requirement to be the perfect boyfriend! He got brain and is good-looking. He's my perfect match!" She drew nearer to the quiet red haired boy who still hadn't protest against the silly idea, and with her fingers she formed a heart that she placed between her and Akashi. "See?"

"You intend to bind Akashi-kun with your cursed love?!"

The image of those two together gave her goosebumps, no matter how long she looked at them, they were diametrically opposed. Such love couldn't work at all, whatever the curse or anscestral legends...

"«Cursed»? No, I'd rather say «fateful»! It was a sign that I found my soulmate when running into you!"

"Don't play with words!"

"So cutie-kun, wanna play with big sis?" Using her charm, she moved a little closer to Akashi trying to twist him around her little finger in a very suggestive way.

"Sounds interesting."

"Hold on a second! I won't let you have him!" Refusing to hear him going along her senpai's antics any further, she separated him from Hoshino, pushing the boy behind her and stood steadfastly before her former mentor. "He already has plan with me."

"Tsk! Since when are you aiming so high, you sneaky girl?" Hoshino grunted. "You have your eyes on him too?!"

"He's only a first year when you're in your third year! How can you bind such pu-pu-pure...? boy with a curse?! He didn't even get to f-fall in... in...love yet! Yes, that's it! He still hasn't met his first love! So let him enjoy his youth!"

"You don't seem very convinced by what you're saying, Ritsu." remarked the raven-haired girl, as she fumbled for words.

"I...I might have taken it too far." Trying to shake off Akashi's strangely calm aura, she went on. "But Akashi-kun is m-mine for the day, so give up on him."

"And let my chance to win? No way in hell! Move!"

"Wait! I didn't finish yet. I have a suggestion to make." Hoshino was about to shove her aside but reconsidered, a bit curious about what she had to say. "If you need someone of the same calibre of the student council president, then I think the basketball captain is also a potential candidate. Nijimura-san is the best counterpart of the president. One might lead the students, but the other leads a national renowned team that includes four weirdos. You should think about it."

"Shūzō! I completely forgot about that thug! He still owns me a favor! He can't refuse!" She shouted realising that the basketball captain option existed."And that guy is on par with Masame! Not a bad idea, Ritsu!"

Much to her relief, Ritsu successed in straying the conversation topic to Nijimura for whom she spared a thought as he would shortly go through the worst of his festival time.

"Akashi, do you know where I can find that thug?"

"The last time I saw him he was playing table tennis with a club member." He replied the least bothered to put his captain in great danger.

"Thanks!" She turned back and dashed in the opposite way screaming in the hallway."I'll get you in my team, Shūzōoooooo!" And like a hurricane, she disappeared as she came.

She just had the time to let out a sight of relief before she had to deal with Akashi who didn't waste time to make her feel guilty. "That was a desperate call, Asaka."

"Anyhow it works...and it's because of you I had to name a scapegoat."

"You even dare to put the blame on me?" He asked raising a brow.

"You showed interest instead of flatly refusing her."

"You didn't have to go to such lengths. In any case, I would have refuse her properly since I won't be able to participate in the Stamp Rally competition."

"Are you trying to disclaim all responsability?"

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm innocent." Ritsu folded her arms showing she was disagreeing with him. "And to prove it, look at the festival program."

Taking the flyer out of her skirt pocket, she glanced at Akashi waiting for further explanation. "When is scheduled the Stamp Rally competition?"

"At two pm. Oh, but registration are opened one hour early." She read the competition details.

"Now look at the event below it."

"Two pm - «The Sleeping Beauty»...Oh! The play...It totally slipped my mind."

"Got my point?" smirked Akashi when she finally realised it.

Again she had been fooled by that alien. He was right, she condemned a poor innocent to the worst event of his life and it might even have an impact on his future because nothing could defy ancestral legend.

"Why do you have to be so ambiguous?!"

"You jumped to conclusion too fast. Your futile attempt amused me though, even if it was of poor taste."

"...Well excuse-me, but I have to remind you, you told Hoshino-senpai about your captain's whereabouts." A bit vexed, Ritsu said as she was still hanging on small pride that remained in her.

"Do I?" Meaning he didn't and led astray Hoshino.

"That's sly of you."

"Then we're birds of a feather." He affirmed as he rubbed salt into the wound. She apologized to the basketball captain for all his future misery.

"You really should stop your jokes." She replied in a half-hearted tone.

Even though she liked him as a friend, she didn't want to be associate with him, particulary when it came to guile. He was a notch above her or even a few more above but things worked perfectly for her the way it was. What kind of girl would she become if she followed Akashi's footsteps?

"I was serious this time."

...Certainly a very bizarre one. Well, fortunately innocence saved her from such a fate.

"Like there's a difference..."

When he turned his back on her, a brief smile brightened his stern face.

"We still have things to get done, Asaka."


	20. Festival Arc (4)

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH...! IIIIIIRRRKK! NOOOOOO!"

Before the door, Ritsu and Akashi were welcomed by horrendous screams coming out of the obscure room, certainly the voices of the current visitors. For a simple thrilling experience, those screams were quite horrific which aroused even more her excitement. She glanced from the corner of her eyes Akashi who was browsing the poster of the event stuck on the wall. To think she would actually share a private moment with him, and in a haunted house no less. That was something she would have qualified as ridiculous and inconceivable a month ago but here she was, with him, ready to challenge the Haunted House.

"Are you new challengers?" asked the host, wearing a false small axe sticked into his head.

They nodded exchanging looks.

"Oh! Akashi...and Asaka...!Together!" He realised, zooming in on them with one big eye. "Wow! Such strong challengers! Will you be able to beat the Haunted House?"

"Beat?"

"Yeah. It's a small treasure hunt with, of course, lots of surprise inside! You'll see!"

"We can already hear that!" She jested. "That some awful screams."

"Aha! Don't expect your hunt to be a walk in the park! And let me tell you something! A real ghost roams inside it. "

"Really?" asked Akashi rethorically taking it as a basic attempt to arouse the visitors' interest.

"Yep! I can't say more or it'll spoil the fun! Well then, which course will you choose? The friends or the lovers?"

"Because there's two paths? What's the difference?"

"Never heard about haunted house being the best place to strengthen bonds?" He chirped while his brows were twiching like mad trying to hint some possible development between Akashi and her.

"You've just made it up now." She retorted flatly.

"Aha, better see it yourself then! Darkness reveals more about a person than light!" He affirmed in a superhero's stance."So friends or lovers?"

When Ritsu turned to Akashi, he shrugged his shoulder, letting her choose as there was no matter for debate.

"Ah! I forgot to mention that the lovers path is more challenging and you can get a unique prize! Hehe."

"Something you've made up again?" His snicker made her suspicious.

"No, what he said is the truth. It's written on the flyer." Strangely, Akashi spoke up and handed it out to her. She read it, and it was there, the course description written in bold characters : «_**Want to add some thrill in your love life or find the courage to declare your flame then the Lovers Course is made for you! Across the darkness, search for the five hidden keys to win your beloved heart! And obtain a unique prize with the Heart key, the ultimate love treasure (only in this course)! Through this experience beyond reality, you'll never let go of your partner!**_»

"So far no one has found the Heart key! They were so scared that they only tried to find the way out." added the host with a certain satisfaction. "Soooo~ which one?"

"The Friends / Lovers course." They answered at the same time, except there was one wild answer out there.

"How bold, Akashi! Have your eyes on Asaka?" He nudged him as he somehow felt related with him like a fellow. "Even a creep like you can't resist a cute girl's charm."

"Can I ask why the Lovers'?"

"I should be the one asking why you chose the Friends' path."

"I chose depending on our current relationship that is friendship...Unless you think otherwise."

"It's small details." He put a hand on his waist and looked at her in the blank of the eyes. She stared back unsure of why he got serious. "Friends or Lovers, those are just words to add some relief to the course event. Overall the Lovers' path is the best in term of amusement. Moreover it's not mentioned anywhere that this course is solely for couples."

"Oh crap Akashi, you're serious?! I take back what I said! You've got no heart and where's the romance?!"

Akashi disregarded his remark. "And I prefer when there's challenge with winning prize at the end. Challenges are very exhilarating."

In short, he was looking forward, his red eyes were scintilling at the prospect of an interesting challenge. No matter how mature and wise he may seem, he still remained a kid at heart in spite of everything. This rare side of him was almost heart-warming, actually it was the very first time she was referring him as a «kid». Taking a glance at him, whose character gave rise to smiles...

...A crown of flowers could well and truly suit him...

"After you, then." She didn't need to say more, the joy was certainly shown all over her face. Since he stated earlier she was easy to read, why not put it to her own convenience when with him?

They exchanged looks, Akashi smiled back satisfied of her decision and both turned to the host who didn't follow what just happened.

"We'll take the Lovers course."

"...Oh boy, don't act so lovey-dovey when you're not even a true couple." He sighed in exasperation while opening the door of the haunted house. "Good luck~! And have fun!"

* * *

Inside, they were walking down a narrow and straight corridor where fake candles shed a dim light making The spider's webs that covered the walls shimmered in a eerie way accentuating the lugubrious atmosphere of the house. At the end of the corridor, a coffin stood before them, a creaking sound followed as the lit opened slowly but the inside was empty, no trace of a vampire.

"Fresh blooooood!" When suddenly a shadow leaped out behind the curtain near the coffin. Surprised, she squeezed the chick bolster staring blankly at the incoming vampiress who was brought up short due to their lack of reaction.

"No scream? Too bad...It usually works." said the girl disappointed of her fail attempt while taking a peek of her visitors. "Uwa! Damn, of course that trying to fright two weirdos is beyond my ability!" Cheered up by this stupid fact, she faced them happily. "Never thought of seeing you two here! And together! Tehehe, here for the Friends course?"

"No, the Lovers."

"NO WAY! Since when you two are...?!" Ironically, they managed to make the vampiress scream.

"Nothing of the sort. We're here for the unique prize."

"Huh? What a let down." She muttered then she fetched a flashlight behind the coffin and gave it to them. "Take this. You'll need it for the course."

Ritsu took it and switched it on, checking if the flashlight worked fine as a beam lit up her face.

"Now." She walked up to one of the two doors presented to them, one was red and the other pale green, certainly in reference to the two courses; then she opened the red one and bowed slightly. "Will you be the first to find the Heart key? Hehe. See ya!"

They walked in and the curtain closed up leaving Akashi and her in absolute darkness.

"Wow, I can't see anything." In the course description, they didn't lie when they said «_across the darkness_», the darkness was so thick that she couldn't even see the end of her nose or the hand she was waving in front of her. That was where the flashlight came in handy. "Ah! That's better."

She inspected thoroughly the place still standing near the entrance with Akashi by her side. By a glance, the room was rather small. They only had to make few steps to reach the center of the dark room. Right before their eyes stood a wooden door, and around them, horrific cut heads were hung here and there accompanied with two corpses laid on the floor.

At the center, Ritsu aimed the light beam on the walls, all covered with black curtain adding more to this impression of thickness inside the dark.

"I hope we won't finish like them after the treasure hunt." She joked, flashing the two white corpses. "Or at least, on the floor. Even with the flashlight it's kind of hard to see something."

"We'd better watch our steps."

The boy was examinating the corners illuminated by the flashlight which he followed in a quiet observation of the place. When Ritsu stopped the light on a second door, just at the right of Akashi.

"There's a second door." She said as she pointed the beam back to the first door. Somehow amused by their actual situation, she turned toward Akashi and put the flashlight between them, just under their chin. "Left or right? Which one are we going to take?"

The shaft of light going straight to the ceiling lit up their faces, giving to both of them a shady impression. Especially in Akashi's case, the shadows on his face seemed to accentuate his stern traits more than usual.

"I let you choose." He replied, an amused smile tugging his lips. The excitement he read on her turned rather creepy with that light angle.

"Hum..." She lowered the flashlight and pointed in direction of the first door, then came back at Akashi and the door behind him. "Let's take the second one, then."

"Are you sure?"

"Huh? Yes. Why are you asking?"

"Just feeling like it."

"...«Just feeling like it.» doesn't sound really like it when coming from your mouth." Ritsu brushed off what he just said in a half-hearted tone. And yet, a vague hesitation took her. From the corner of her eyes, she casted a look at the first door, dimly flashed by the light still on Akashi. Did he notice something or hear anything near that door next to him? But the two of them were pretty close of each other and she felt nothing strange. Unless he was...

"Are you trying to scare me off?" She asked with jest.

Akashi was quiet as ever. As she looked at him closely, her gaze trailed the long and large shadow on his back, recovering the whole door and stretching high, as if it could almost engulf him. For a few minutes, she contemplated it, something eerie seemed to float in the air.

Looking away, Ritsu shook off that strange sensation, thinking that the silent atmosphere of the room and the fact of being alone in the dark with Akashi certainly played with her mind. The redhead certainly just asked for fun. "I doubt there's something that terrible awating us behind that door. Unless you want us to take the first one?"

"It's doesn't make much difference. We'll take the second door, let's go." Akashi replied while Ritsu stared at him in an obvious manner. She had been right afterall! He was just trying to scare her off.

The boy lead the way. In the second room, the duo examinated the new room, apparently of the same surface area than the previous. Their eyes fell on the torn white sheets hung on clothesline in a rather messy way, and completely blocking their sight. They could hardly see something ahead unless they crossed the sheets.

But Ritsu squinted her eyes to discern what seemed bloodstains and bloody handmarks on them, and there were even some awfully painted on a wall. Although she knew that those were fake, a shiver still ran down her spine. She had to admit that the rendering was pretty realistic.

"You think someone will pop up behind those sheets?"

"Probably. It's a good spot to lurk around, but also a good hiding to put a key."

"Oh. Now you've mentioned it, we're in the middle of a treasure hunt." She noted with a note of relief. Akashi's words reminded her that other purpose beside the trhilling experience : The ultimate treasure. When she had a glimpse of his sheer amusement, the peculiar oppression of the place lessened, and she shared his sentiment with a chuckle.

When they decided to move, Ritsu let go of the door, from which they came in, and it closed heavily behind them. First to react, she turned back, suddenly suspicious of that peculiar sound. The door wasn't that heavy to close that way.

Akashi gave little attention and advanced toward the sheets, even if for a second he had been on the lookout with his red eyes on the door. Following his movement, she paid no more attention to the sound and walked behind him.

"Where are we starting searching?"

The redhead stopped and inspected a white cloth. "Let's take a look at the sheets first. The key might be attached on one of them."

At his idea, she helped him by pointing the flashlight all over the sheets. Nothing came from their first inspection and they continued. Now admist white sheets and bloodstains, the room seemed to have widen, the door gave the impression to be far, even though they only had made few steps from there.

In the middle of their search, the flashlight began to flicker strangely. The interval between the flickerings shortened with the seconds.

"Eh?..." By reflex, she lightly hit on her palm. Complete darkness. "Aah?!...It doesn't work anymore! You've got to be kidding me!"

Not amused by the situation, she hit it harder on her palm, but as she somehow guessed with a certain resignation, the flashlight never lit again.

"...Do you think it's part of the Lovers course scenario? By giving us a defective flashlight to make us wander in the house." She raised the stupid question, wanting at least to hear whatever reason to their bad luck.

"I doubt that. There's no fun to get in a treasure hunt if we can't see anything."

"I second that. We can hardly progress without light. Maybe we should go back to the entrance, we're not far from there." She suggested, looking around in vain.

"I guess that's not a bad idea."

In the darkness, their steps sounded louder. Robbed of their sights, their other senses became sharper, and it felt kind of stressing for Ritsu to rely on them so abruptly. Their movements, their breaths, every details that she didn't took notice before increased the thickness and the silence of darkness.

She heard a light tap on a hard surface, surely Akashi who was ahead and reached the door. But before she could notice he had halted, she awkwardly bumped into him.

"Oh, sorry, Akashi-kun." She stepped back to let him have the space to find the door handle.

"There's no door handle."

The comment sounded so absurd that she didn't believe it on the spot.

"Spare me your joke."

"I'm not joking. We're locked."

So that hard sound earlier was the door locking...

Facing the facts, the boy and the girl fell silent. Not only their flashlight died on them but they couldn't even retrace their steps.

"We have to find another exit."

"In the dark?"

"We don't have much choice."

"Why not call for help? Some students must be waiting somewhere in case of emergency. Oh!" And the face of a student came to her mind. "The vampiress. We're just one room ahead, if we shout she might hear us and come to our help!"

"Go ahead."

At the invitation, her idea didn't sound as good as the first time, now that she realised the silliness of the action and the embarrassing moment that would follow. The image of her screaming like some desperate and crazy girl wasn't one she was able to bear and assume wholly; particulary if her teammates were to get wind of that, it would be an event that would follow her for the rest of her school years in Teikō.

She sort of understood why Akashi didn't even try to make the suggestion.

"...Ugh, I think I'll pass." She sighed, squeezing the pale blue chick bolster against her for some little comfort. "We'd better move on as you said. Like so, we'll probably run into someone."

"We're going then."

Akashi walked ahead and she followed him, carefully trying to never let the distance between them widen. They had the worst luck so far, she didn't want to add more to it by losing «sight» of one another, though she doubt they could really get seperated. The room weren't that big and a faint call would be enough to know the other's whereabouts in the said case.

But in spite of everything, her heart felt light, warmed by a silent concern from her friend. Akashi, as well, kept a steady pace to make sure she followed.

"Good thing we're together."

"You're scared?" Akashi asked, his steps faintly echoing away, then he stopped in his track. She heard him putting down his bag full of prizes on the floor, ensued some rustles.

"Alone, maybe. I don't think I'd have gone alone in the dark, and probably I would have waited for someone to come instead."

"You don't seem the type of girl that waits around to be rescued or seeks other's help."

"Guess that explains why I turned up as the Witch for the play. Midorima-kun would surely say that Fate has spoken." She laughed it off before she reverted to a graver tone. "In fact, I'm not scared of the dark. It feels more like uneasiness than true fear."

Her gray-blue eyes roved around the place, unable to discern a single form. The sheets, the doors, Akashi's silhouette, everything around her was swallowed by darkness.

"Not seeing anything ahead sure is kind of stressing but not enough to make me panic."

"And still suffisant to make you remain in the shadow."

She chuckled. "I still need some light to guide me in the dark."

Akashi didn't say anything. Only the faint ruslting sound of fabric prevented silence from settling completely between the two of them.

Hearing those sounds getting distant, Ritsu concentrated on the spot where she supposed the boy was while trying to get accostumed to the dark. But it was too soon. She couldn't tell if his presence was now only at a few steps away from her or farer.

"You don't _need_ light, Asaka."

"I'm not sure about it. You can see as me that it's pretty dark around us. In such circumstances, everybody would need light."

"You already have what it takes to not need it."

The ash-blond haired girl stayed silent, no more precisely, she couldn't come up with any reaction. Something gave her the impression they weren't talking about the same thing, and eerily, his words twisted up with his piece of advice inside her :

«_You shouldn't belittle yourself._»

However, as of now there was something different in this echo, a strange nay oppressive sensation crawling under her skin she felt for the first time. This unknown feeling seemed to tighten her heart when she attempted to unravel the twisted link that formed within her.

"Courage?" She said as a guess. Even without fear, crossing darkness required a good amount of courage and determination.

"Not quite. Something more innate, that can't allow you to stay in the shadow."

As far as she was concerned, the more she tried, the more she couldn't keep the distance.

"...Are we talking about the same thing, Akashi-kun?"

"You're far from being stupid, Asaka."

She did have an inkling of what lay behind his words, yet it didn't mean that she understood why he told her that. She was conscious now not to take lightly his words. No matter how sudden or strange he may sound at first, his words sure revealed to be quite perspicacious when she eventually grasped the meaning. Like they already proved to be during her first sight of the whole colorful squad.

"Even so, sometimes it's hard to follow you."

"Even if I was to give you explanation, it's not like you'd believe right away what I'm saying. It boils down to the same thing whichever way I tell them, but the result would be different; and depending on the case, it could turn less than satisfaying."

He wasn't wrong. What mattered wasn't the form of his words, but how people received them and grasped the core of his intentions. In her case, it certainly had some impact on her or else his piece of advice wouldn't be lingering in her in the way it did. Despite the vague pressure she sensed earlier, it echoed in the distance as though to lead her in a particular direction and push her into a limit she didn't feel the need to overcome until now.

She decided on her own to listen to his piece of advice and had certainly distorted it in some kind of way to suit the girl she was. But, well thus far the result was far from being displeasing. Ever since she talked to him.

"Well, I won't say the contrary. But at least, choose the right place to tell me that. You know I'm rather uncomfortable without light and you're still saying those weird things to me. You really intend to scare me, aren't you?" A faint chuckle reached her ears and she responded the same. "By the way, Akashi-kun, what are you doing with the sheets? I've been hearing you flipping them for a while now."

"We still have to find the keys before leaving."

"Er, what?...!" She didn't believe her ears, as he didn't given up on the idea of gathering the five keys in order to get the ultimate treasure. "We aren't going for the exit right away?!"

"It's our only choice to move on. However, I've never mentioned anything about giving up the treasure hunt."

"You said it wasn't funny to find object in the dark."

"Alone, it'd surely be the case. But you're here with me, the least I know." Right this instant, she didn't know how she had to take it. The sweet warmth on her cheeks betrayed a certain happiness.

"First you want to drag me into the Friendship quizz contest and now it's a treasure hunt in the dark. That's some passionnate side you have here, Akashi-kun. You really want the winning prizes."

"The haunted house was your idea."

"Ugh...Don't rub salt into the wound." She gave in and walked up to where she last heard his voice.

To advance without a hitch, she used her hand to open the way and moved aside the sheets on her way. As she approached the presumed location of the boy, her fingers grazed a fabric. She lifted it with a jerk, thinking the fabric was quite long given the slight sensation of weight. When the back of her hand smacked something very hard like a bone, and then followed a sound close to teeth chatter, though shorter and sharper.

"Ngh..!"

"...Oh!" Ritsu shouted, realising what just happened. "So sorry!...I've never thought you were this close! It's hard to evaluate distance!"

She didn't felt Akashi's presence next to her until she found him in a rather clumsy way. When she pulled up the sheet to move on, her right hand smacked the boy's jaw, and on top that with some violence, as she remembered the sharp sound the hit made.

"I didn't hurt you I hope!"

"...You have more strength than you look...Asaka."

With that incident, both were forced to admit that their little adventure in the dark would be more physical than they expected.


	21. Festival Arc (5)

Following the small accident, the duo was now in possession of three keys, and the four one would soon join the others in Akashi's hand, as it just fell on the ground, letting resound faint rings. Ritsu hardly commented on this prowess, but she couldn't deny that despite the dark, their efforts were not made in vain and their progress went smoother and quicker than she initially thought.

Thanks to Akashi's good judgement, to say the least. His keen power of deduction spared them to scatter around and concentrate on what they deemed important to check. Even without light, they managed well.

Overall, it was easy, and it was supposed to be. As he explained her during their search, the treasure hunt was only a pretext to add a thrilling and funny dimension to the Haunted House, and so the hidden items weren't necessarily put in places hard to find, instead they were hidden near objects that would naturally come to people's mind. Like the sheets in the second room, it was the first thing that bursted into their view when they entered the room, then common sense would tell them to begin their search by it first. It was as simple as this. If it was too hard to find, some people would just lose interest and forget about the challenge. Everything was thought for people to have fun.

"Ouch!" The cry followed the ring. As she tried to get key she made fall on the floor after pulling down some sort of rope, her left leg banged into a wooden box.

"I have it." His voice came from a few meters ahead of her, where she actually wanted to go, if it weren't for that cursed wooden box.

"As always."

But she probably also had to give his sharp eyes some credit for their good success in the treasure hunt. So far, Akashi seemed to deal with the dark rather well, almost too well, frankly speaking. As if he was already accostumed to it.

"Good work."

"Say that to my shin. It really hurts...!" She instantly retorted, rubbing her shin. "How come I've never heard you bump into something?"

"I can also ask you how come I'm always hearing you bump into something? You're just behind me."

"...That's dishonest, Akashi-kun."

With the fourth key in their possession, the duo wanted to proceed on, but before they had to make choice. When they first inspected the whole room, they noted tree doors, excluding the one from which they entered.

"Which door?"

"The closest to us."

They went straight to it. Ritsu touched the wooden door, trying to find the door handle. She looked for it for a couple of seconds, and to her great surprise, there wasn't one. Again.

"The door handle is missing. That's the second time!"

Akashi immediately headed to another door and opened it without trouble.

"Seems like some doors are to be opened only in one way."

"Things are getting complicated."

Without light, it was already hard to orientate themselves and know their current position in the haunted house. Ritsu took a glimpse at the door next to her, locked. They would not get out of this haunted house anytime soon, and this impression only increased with time. Not that she wasn't having fun with the treasure hunt, but she missed a bit the light.

She walked up to Akashi and followed him inside the new room.

They stepped into the place and proceeded with their examination. Only a minute after, Ritsu was struck by a odd detail. Under her fingertips, she recognized the familiar touch of the sheets, the very same at the start of their adventure.

"Er, didn't we already examine this room?...That's the room full of sheets."

"You noticed too." confirmed Akashi, coming back near her. "In all evidence, all rooms seems to be connected to one another."

"Then, the doors..." She brought into focus the several doors that stood in their way each time they entered a new room, and somehow got a inkling of the situation they were about to go through.

"...can either lead us to a new room or another we already crossed." He completed her observation, as he noted the same. "My guess is that the haunted house has been set up as some sort of maze. In each room, we always have to choose between two paths or more and we're unsure of where it could lead us. Some rooms are dead end, others are leading us on a new track."

Akashi's reasoning made sense. Since the beginning of their hunt, they crossed four rooms, and always had been confronted to a choice about which door to open. Even they walked in all of them in a rather «straight» way, both of them knew that their choices certainly had some influence on their course but not to such extent as to encounter again a one-way door. Ritsu thought that even after crossing a room they could freely retrace their steps if the need arose. However, in all likehood, that was one big mistake to have gone so carefreely. Some doors wouldn't open as she wished. And like in a maze, they had to go over some tracks they already had walked on.

"How many rooms do you think there is?" She turned her head to the boy next to her in a dejected motion.

"I don't know. Not many, I guess. Maybe seven or less, given the fact there are six keys."

One room for one key, that added up as they always found a key in every rooms. However, that meant two keys were still left to find in some rooms they had yet come across. Well, if they ever managed to get there without a hitch, thought Ritsu, getting a bit tired by all the surprises that came one after another. Crossing a maze in the dark without a flashlight was the worst luck.

"What are we going to do? At this rate, we have a high chance of going in circles if we don't proceed with caution."

"We won't. If we narrow our options, this maze is far from being complexed. Even in the dark."

Akashi went back to the fourth room. Not questioning him further on his sudden move, she stayed right behind him, and followed him as they returned into the third room.

"There are three doors we haven't opened yet. One here and two on the second room on our left. Let's try this one first."

"You have a good memory, Akashi-kun..." Not like hers, she retained things a lot easier by sight and sound than by her other senses, hence why she didn't think on the spot of those remaining options, even if she knew they existed.

"You too could have thought of it." He made the remark in a quiet tone, as he approached the door.

"Well, I do remember about those doors, but they didn't cross my mind until you made me notice them. That would have taken some time before I could think of it."

By the sound of his touch, the door revealed to be locked too.

As two doors left, the duo immediately walked in the second room and both checked the remaining doors. One was locked, the other opened.

"It's just as you said. With you, everything seems strangely a lot easier."

"Because not everything is complicated as you think."

The light steps of the boy trod on this new track. Soon trailing him, Ritsu casted a glance behind, then shifted to her front, somewhat bothered by the silence of the place. For a haunted house, it was so quiet that she couldn't help but wonder.

"Say, don't you think that it's awfully calm around us? We don't hear anything strange and we haven't encountered somebody who tries to sca—"

*splash*

Before she could finish her sentence, a gelatinous rectangular thing landed right on the middle of her face.

"Oups."

"You did it on purpose, don't—"

*splash*

"Again! You're fully aware I'm just behind you!"

"Watch out, Asaka. There are konjac jellies hung on threads."

"Your warning only comes now!"

This new room seemed to amuse Akashi a lot. She decided to take her distance from him in order to avoid some other konjac attacks and started the examination on her side. But much to her dismay, this was far from being restful. On top of keeping running into konjac jellies, her hands touched slimy things she'd rather not know for her own sake.

After getting a broad view of the area, she followed by ear Akashi's whereabouts. Soft rusltes accompanied his light movements, giving a charming side to his natural elegance easily pictured through his silence and composure – So many times observed and yet ungraspable – As always, nothing seemed to trouble his quietude, not even those konjac jellies, the spiders in the second room, the graveyard in the third room, the hanged squeletons in the fourth room, nor the dark. Akashi remained the same boy she first met and the new friend she started to know and learn to care about. Calm and soothing, yet not absolutely devoid of some burning innocence, the boy could have this kind of presence; while a plain strictness and cold fairness could roughly shape his words and actions.

He didn't change; in light or in darkness, he was always in control. And curious thing, she couldn't help but smile in happiness at the idea of him remaining the same as ever.

*clatter* *clatter* *clang*

Out of the blue, loud noises came from behind the door near her.

"...! W-W-What are those noises?" Snatched away from her reverie, she perked her head up at the sudden ruckus.

"Here you have your scary moment."

"Akashi-kun! Now's not the time to be joking!" His steps got closer to her and stood near the door. "You're going in?"

"This might be our chance to ask for help, Asaka."

"Oh."

Akashi was really down to earth. By his clear intonation, he never considered the fact that those noises might have been produced by something out of this world. True, the thought itself was silly, but remained a very spontaneous reaction in this sort of place.

About to leave the room, Ritsu immobilized at the threshold, her attention was caught again by some clangs breaking the silence that slowly imposed between them in a regular rhythm. It was the keys Akashi was holding with him. Those objects prompted in her mind, she wondered about their priority, or rather Akashi's. From the start, he gave more important to the treasure hunt than the exit. The four keys could attest of his determination to go through the challenge till end, while the exit seemed like a distant goal. She went along his fun, not through spite but because she simply knew that, with him, the exit wasn't as far as she imagined it to be. After collecting the lot of keys, his next destination would definetely be the light.

However, unexpedtedly, he left the room without the fifth key and decided to seek for help. As far as she knew, Akashi wasn't the type to give up on things half-way.

"But we still haven't found the key of this room."

"...I've already found it. Only one left."

His voice denoted some great satisfaction to which she didn't even bother to react or question. In his company, things revealed to be so easy and strangely surprising that she no longer felt the need to make comments or tried to find explanation to his actions.

The new room was as silent as the others, the strange noises echoed in their mind as if dreamed. They couldn't sense a sould or hear a simple breath, it was empty. There was nobody in there, but she couldn't have misheard about the origin of those noises, even Akashi had approached the door when it occured. Unless there was not someone with them, but «something»...

A cold shiver ran down her spine. What was she thinking? Those things didn't exist, she slapped herself with great rationality. Yet, unconsciously, her fingers tightened around the defective flashligh, prepared for any danger. No light would come from it, she was conscious of it, but her grip didn't slacken, surely in a tiny hope that it would lit up again in case of emergency.

"...Do you see someone, Akashi-kun?"

"No."

In quiet strides, Akashi widened their distance. His back was usually at a arm-lenght distance, and right now she couldn't estimate the meters between them. He was ahead of her, that was all she could tell.

"Asaka, are you so scared to be holding my hand?"

"What are you talking about?"

"_I need your help_."

"...!"

"...! W-W-W-Who was that?!"

*rustle* *tap* *tap* *clang* *rustle*

The unknown voice casted a spell of confusion. Amidst the darkness, brisk rustles, frantic hits, and piercing clangs gave another dimension to the silent place. She was unsure of what Akashi was doing, though his brief yet distinctive movements did sound very hectic. However, at the moment, she didn't really mind him. Confused, she was hitting helplessly the flashlight on her palm as a last recourse. She sought light right now, she needed to see something.

Her wish granted, she did see something.

The miraculous shaft of light beamed again and straight at the pale face of a boy covered in blood.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Then, darkness took place again. Scarcely had she had the time to see in front her, the light went out and her heart was ready to burst out of her chest. She didn't see Akashi's back as she hoped, but an unknown boy with trails of blood dripping down his face. Her heart beating in a unknown rhythm, she couldn't think straight, wondering where did that boy come from? There was nobody in this room a second ago, Akashi also said so. And now, more importantly, where was he? She shuddered by herself, because she somewhat felt the answer. There was no presence of a third person near them, meaning...

"D-D-D-D-D-Did you see _it_, Akashi-kun?" She asked in panic, before she realised she was gripping Akashi's shirt. She didn't let go of him as her confused gray-blue eyes was carefully inspecting the room in search of the _boy_.

"...Only the back."

"W-W-W-Where did it go?..."

"Not far I supposed."

"H-He scared the hell out of me!"

"I've never meant to scare you."

The voice popped out next to her.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Ritsu recoiled in surprise, swiftly pulling and keeping Akashi with her. Definetely not letting go of him, not until they brought light to this mysterious case.

"You manage to make Asaka scream twice. Not bad."

"Akashi-kun...!"

The comment broke the ice between them and the strange presence. As ever, her red-haired friend didn't consider the idea of the boy being a real ghost and talked to him like usual. In his voice, no fear was inflected, but rather a surprise mixed with an odd note of wonder and light-heartedness.

"So, who are you?" Akashi reverted to a clearer tone.

"Ah, I'm part of the members in charge of scaring the visitors." The boy answered with a frankness that didn't match the low pitch of his voice.

"I see. It was you who made that ruckus earlier. However, aren't you supposed to stay away from the visitors after scaring them?" He asked, wondering why he was still there, currently talking with them.

He hummed a positive answer. "It's normally the case...But I'm in trouble, I don't really know where I am."

"You're lost? How can a member in charge of the event be lost?" The redhead grew more and more incredulous by what he was listening. Logically, the boy should have a very good knowledge of the place to move around in order to scare people.

"That's a long story."

"Keep it short then."

"I lost consciousness."

After that answer, Ritsu and Akashi just heard the wind blow.

"Er, are you still here?" She decided to speak.

"Yes."

"Why don't you continue?"

"I told you the reason. You said to keep it short."

"But that's too short!"

She heard no reaction from him. What a strange boy. In the dark, she couldn't shake off her mind that impression of thin air when talking with him. He just slipped through her senses, he even passed under Akashi's radar, which was quite a feat in itself. In the dark, it was like he was a part of the shadow around them, and his very low presence made it impossible for her to even imagine a simple silhouette of the boy, as it was the case with Akashi. Through that process that she was able to more or less tell about his whereabouts out there.

With a bit of hindsight, the cause of this weird impression probably lay in the fact she didn't have a face to give to the shadow boy to feal more at ease with him...Well, in truth, she did have one, but not some she really wanted to see again, all beacause of the blood on his face. However, during that split second, her eyes still pictured a pair of blue eyes opened in surprise and teal hair, so pale compared to the dripping vivid red running from his right temple.

"Say, when you said you lost consciousness, did you get hit by something?"

"How do you know?"

His clueless voice invited a timid smile on her lips. "You look pretty beat up with all the blood over your face. You must have it checked, just in case."

She took her handkerchief out of her skirt pocket and awkwardly waved it in the air, not really sure where exactly the boy was. "Er, here, you can wipe the blood with my handkerchief."

"Ah, thank you, but the blood will..."

"Don't worry about it. You can use and keep it." Her hand collided with his, provoking a rather peculiar feeling inside her, now that she «touched» him. Even if there was actually no reason to doubt it, he was indeed a real boy. Then, a weak pull took it from her as he obliged to her kindness.

Now that she made contact with him, she dropped her guard and resumed their conversation with more lightheartedness. "So, what happened to you? Don't tell me it's Akashi-kun who's the cause of your injury when he was_ dancing_ in the dark."

"Mind your words, Asaka. Since I was dancing, I reckon that your screams weren't all that bad as well." Akashi simply gave her a piece of his mind.

"No, I was hit by the previous visitors." answered the boy, the least reacting to their banter, and went on his explanation as asked. "They forgot something behind, so I wanted to give it back to them before they got to the exit. But when I caught them up, they got scared and hit me by accident. I lost my balance and got knocked by something, apparently."

"You're not even sure yourself?"

"My memories are kind of fuzzy. I must have fainted at that moment." He told them calmly. "When I regained consciousness, I didn't really know where I was. I didn't find my flashlight, it might have fallen somewhere when I was hit. And I decided to find the exit but I got lost."

In all likehood, Akashi and her weren't the only one with bad luck.

"Then I heard you coming and took that opportunity to ask for help."

"Oh, the moment you held Akashi-kun's hand. You really scared us."

"I'm sorry I didn't want to. It's hard to see in the dark."

Ritsu sympathized with his troubles. The boy had lost all his point of reference after that incident and wandered all alone in the dark. And at that, there was more to this sympathy. A very calm charm breathed through the boy's speech and manner. His voice was most of the time even, hardly changing his intonation to express himself; his vague movements felt pretty light yet not to the extent of being graceful nor nimble, but everything concorded harmoniously with that straight politeness that emanated from him. No trace of formality marked his words like she could note in her speech or Akashi's, it was just an ordinary politeness – One that didn't have that distant approach and reflected shards of bluntness which curiously echoed with kind and honest notes, making it quite easy to talk to him with that peculiar feeling of proximity.

"And to say we came here with the same intention."

"You needed my help?" The boy asked, his voice going sligthly high due to surprise.

"Well, kind of. We wanted to ask you the way to the exit. As you can notice, we aren't using the flashlight because it's defective."

"Oh, that flash..." He recalled the moment their flashlight blinded him for a second, then considered their situation. "I can't think I will be of any help."

"So I guess."

"...Er."

"That was quite blunt." Akashi commented, sounding a bit amused. Ritsu raised her brows as the ghost seemed to fidget a little, like somehow troubled by her words. But the passing awkwardness of the moment suddenly struck her.

"Ah, no, I didn't mean it that way! It's just because all three are in the same boat without flashlights!" She tried to make up for her bluntness. "We are all allone in the dark. Speaking of which, that's strange, so far you're the only member we encounter here. Aren't there other students in the haunted house?"

"It's because of the rule : Only one group of visitors can challenge the haunted house and for as long as they have not cleared or left it, nobody can't interfere unless my classmates or I give an alert for emergency to the others outside." Which explained their long and silent stroll.

"What about your classmates?"

"Normally we're three here, me included, but..."

"You're the only one in charge of the place right now." Akashi summed up the situation.

The boy confirmed. "They went on their break due to club obligations."

"There is no one to stand in for them for the time being?" He pressed to get the whole story.

"There should. But since I passed out, I don't really know."

"And since we met anyone but you. It means they haven't come back. That's why we couldn't ask for help." Ritsu concluded, drawing some of her attention to Akashi who started to move around.

"I apologise."

"Well, you aren't at fault. The other two should bear the responsability instead." He simply said, his strides slowly beat the ground in a quiet pace.

"Akashi-kun is right. You'd better take a break after all that!" She agreed with him in a cheerful tone. "For now, let's find the exit."

The boy reacted with lesser enthusiasm as he accostumed the duo so far, yet she couldn't help but see a light smile brightened his face.

"It will take some time. We can't tell our direction."

"We have Akashi-kun with us."

"I didn't know he can see in the dark."

"Me neither." retorted the redhead in the middle of his examination.

"Can I ask what you are doing, Akashi-kun?" Upon hearing the calm agitation around the latter, the boy wondered, a bit startled.

"I'm looking for the key."

"The key? You didn't give up on the treasure hunt because of the dark?"

"We don't know where the exit is, we might as well take the time to search for the key while we wander here. That way we kill two birds with one stone."

"You two are having fun."

"That's the reason why we're here." Akashi added, soon joined by Ritsu in his search.

The girl couldn't let him do all the work after knowing he was actually having real fun despite their bad luck. Or maybe was it because of it that they got to spend a good moment together.

«_Darkness reveals more about a person than light._» The words of the host rung in her mind, and for sure he wasn't totally mistaken when he declared that haunted house could be a place to strengthen bonds. It was a rare _sight_ of Akashi she caught there, some she would fully appreciate before returning to the light.


	22. Festival Arc (6)

After a thorough search of the room, they eventually found the key. Again, Akashi proved all his greatness in the treasure hunt. The five keys in their possession, they reviewed the place.

"It's a dead end. There's another door but it won't open." observed Ritsu.

"Oh..."

"Does that mean we've cleared the haunted house? That makes six rooms we've crossed and we have the six keys."

Akashi remained silent for a couple of seconds, pensive. "No, there is a seventh room."

"How can you tell?"

"In the previous room, before we ran up there, I was in front of another door."

"It's probably a one-way door like the one here." From what she remembered of their itinerary, the second door in the fifth room they were currently in was certainly leading to the third room, where they had been confronted to a locked door. Seemingly, this door wasn't supposed to be opened in either way. A small trap. "Besides, we have all the keys."

"That's not the case." Akashi told her while stepping her way. "We don't have the Heart key. From its name, I presume it must have a heart-shaped tip or something close to it, but all I have are normal keys."

"...Then why are we having six keys?"

"Why not ask him?"

No immediate response followed. During the search, the boy had been awfully quiet. She didn't mind it until now and thought that as a staff member of the haunted house, his silence was not to spoil their fun. But at the moment, she totally lost his presence, like he just disappeared.

"The same trick won't work a third time..." Ritsu looked around, trying to sense the second boy.

"What trick?" The boy appeared out of nowhere, asking her in a oblivious manner.

"Aah! Y-You're here!"

"...? I was next to you for a while now."

Ritsu gulped, she never took notice of him.

"I need you to tell me something." Akashi went straight to business. Contrary to her, he wasn't very bothered about his thin-air presence. He couldn't possibly _perceive_ him, right? "You actually recognize the room we are in, are you? When Asaka mentioned the dead end, you seem to have taken notice of something."

"...Yes. There is only one room with this kind of configuration in the Haunted house." affirmed the boy, somewhat taken aback by Akashi's sharp intuitions.

"Which means you can tell the way to the exit from here."

"More or less."

"Good, we don't need to worry about finding our way any longer." Not quering anything further, the redhead walked up to the door. "For now let's focus our efforts on the last key."

Akashi opened the door and invited the two of them to go first. The girl ushered them to the next room.

"By the way, which course did you take?"

"The lovers."

"I wasn't aware you two are..."

"Because we aren't." She laughed it off and casted a sunny glance above her shoulder, at Akashi precisely. The boy was walking behind her, maintaining this peculiar distance they took on so far. Neiher close or far, just enough space to feel the other's warmth. "We're only here since Akashi-kun aims for the unique prize."

"That's very passionnate."

"You think so to—"

*swoosh*

"Woooh!"

*ruslte*

In the split second after her left foot stepped on a gelatinous thing, most certainly a konjac jelly, she tipped over and fell flat on the floor, dragging along the two boys behind her. Like a perfect domino effect, their three bodies crashed on the ground, creating a brief yet loud racket in the silent darkness.

"Argh...! T-That's dangerous..." First to recover from the fall, Ritsu got up in pain, rubbing her lower back. Here what happened when her attention was elsewhere. Fortunately, she didn't seem to have been hurt badly considering the impact...Thanks to Akashi and the other boy who cushioned her body from a greater shock. At the thought, she spinned round to them : "I...I'm so sorry! I slipped on a jelly! Are you—"

"Are you two alright?" A familiar voice she expected to hear under her came from above, as if the boy in question was standing.

"...W-Why aren't you on the floor?"

"Because I'm standing."

"That's not an answer, Akashi-kun!" She said back. "You were just behind me!"

"I just had the time to step aside, you were already on the floor."

"Well, you could have just caught me instead of stepping aside. You're quite strong despite the apparence. And that would have been very galant of you..."

"In our current situation, there's no point in gallantry, this concept defies all logic as some of us may have either fall unconscious or get injured."

Ritsu closed her eyes in defeat, he was dead serious when he said that. "To be correct, it's probably you who defy all logic, Akashi-kun..."

"...Asaka, we still haven't heard anything from the ghost."

"Ack! That's true!" Her hands palpated the body lain flat on the cold ground. No response. Did he lost consciousness...again? Fate wouldn't allow the poor boy to leave the haunted house unscratched. "Hey, wake up. Hey."

Eventually the boy came round.

"...Ugh...Oh...I'm al...right..." He gestured in daze.

Akashi and her weren't sure about it. His tone was weaker, telling them the great shock he received from the fall.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No. I'm fine..." Feeling guilty, Ritsu helped him getting on his feet. The boy woobled as she supported him before he regained his balance.

"Thank you..."

"You're really sure you're okay?"

"Yes. Rather I should be the one asking..."

"Not even a bruise thanks to you." She reassured him, touched by his concern.

"I'm glad to hear it. But I'm sorry for not being able to catch you properly."

His concern pierced her right to the heart, quickening a warm turmoil within her. A mixture of embarrassement, sense of guilt and relief blended with an unknown surge of happiness that gushed straight to her cheeks. The words flew so naturally and simply out of his mouth that she had been caught off guard.

"Oh. D-Don't mention it."

"It seems like you both are fine." Nonetheless, despite this fluffy feeling stirring her heart, that one single concern stole her an innocent smile. "If so, let's proceed."

"I'll be more careful."

Akashi resumed their tracks, taking up again the lead.

"You're leading again?"

"For simple precaution. At this rate, we won't be able to find the _Heart key_ without kicking the bucket."

"...Oh."

"...You don't have to say it that way." She pouted, suddenly recalled that before threatening the life of the poor ghost boy, she also hit Akashi by accident. No matter how she looked at it, he wasn't completely wrong about her clumsiness.

"We only have to cross one room and you somehow manage to fall. You're rather clumsy."

"Wait, Akashi-kun, Asaka-san."

"Everyone would be in the dark. I don't do it on purpose."

"I'm telling you this for that reason."

"I'm already doing my best to watch my steps, but without light you can't reproach me to not bump into things once or twice."

"About the Heart key..."

"I'm not."

"Your tone tells me otherwise."

"When you're being stubborn, it's really hard to make you listen." Akashi gave a faint sigh.

"You have to know that—"

"Like you're one to talk!" She countered, confounded to hear him sigh. "It's you who insisted on doing the treasure hunt despite the dark. You could have just left me behind if my clumsy side was a bother. "

"..."

"No. I'd never imagine such clumsiness in a girl like you, that this makes you rather cute."

"It has been missing."

Her lips slightly grew apart. He never meant to reproach her, instead he was being awfully honest all along. "...I-I didn't see that coming."

"I knew that mu—" Akashi stopped mid-sentence and turned round to the forgotten boy in a swift motion. "What did you say?"

"You heard me?" Well, during their little spat, his voice did echoe in the background, Ritsu kept the thought for herself, a bit embarrassed to have momentarily paid no attention to him.

"The Heart key is missing?" reacted the red-haired boy in surprise. "Can you explain?"

"My classmate lost it when he scared three visitors. The problem is that he doesn't remember where and when the key was lost. We tried to retrieve it, but without success. " If there was such a problem inside, why weren't they being informed before taking the Lovers' course?, wondered Ritsu. Troubles would only pill up for them and some measure should have been taken regarding the problem.

As if reading her mind, the boy calmly stated further : "Moreover, my classmates decided to not cancel it off since so far all the visitors in the Lovers course never managed to gather all the keys."

The host did say something close to it, and to be honest, this decision wasn't really a good idea. However, a detail didn't add up in the story. It was a treasure hunt, so...

"Why your classmate had the Heart key with him?"

"He was the one in charge of the Lovers room."

"The Lovers room?"

"You obtain the Heart key there. There is eight rooms in total, but two are exclusive to the Lovers' course." The boy explained the configuration of the place. "Visitors who choose the Friend's course only have to cross six rooms while in the Lovers', it's up to eight. That is why there's two different doors at the entrance."

"We've gone through seventh room," Even though they didn't count the very first room they stepped in as a part of the treasure hunt. "So the one we're heading to is the eighth one but aren't visitors of the Friends's course can go through too?"

"They can't. It's locked." Upon reaching the eighth room door, Akashi had pressed the handle just to test it. The door was locked from the inside.

Following that failure, Akashi and her remained silent, awaiting for the boy to give them further explanation.

"It only opens for those in the Lovers course." He simply said.

"How does it open?"

"You have to knock three times if you possess the five keys and present them and the flashlight to my classmate inside. If we had a light, all the indications are written on the door and there's a little opening below."

Ritsu, curious, touched the door. Her finger skimmed on a thick wooden sign nailed on the door, certainly where the aforementioned indications were given. Beneath, her hand got through the little opening from which visitors were to present the keys...and the flashlight?...to the person inside.

"Why the flashlight too?"

"A colored tape is fastened around it to diffenrenciate the two course. Red for lovers. Green for friends."

Despite the under-mannered staff, things were thought carefully.

"So, your classmate won't open if there's a green tape on the flashlight." summed up Akashi and the boy gave him confirmation.

"And won't ever open since he's the only one here." added Ritsu, dejected. Those consecutive events of bad luck were almost a sign that told them to give up on the treasure hunt.

"And so, how did your classmate end up losing the key? From what I understand, he has to remain behind the door to welcome visitors who want to enter the room."

"Since no one has reached this level, he couldn't stand waiting and often went out of the room to scare people off with us. He said it was funnier."

"..." Akashi sighed.

In other words, because of a boy who couldn't stick to his attributed role, their adventure had to be brought short one step before their ultimate goal.

"...We no longer have a purpose here. Let's find the exit."

Ritsu glimpsed at the redhead, the latter exuded the same composure as ever; nevertheless, was it too bold for her to go on saying that a whisper of disappointement swept past his lips? Even if they had to endure being in the dark, they knew that their efforts would still paid off and light would await them. Yet, nothing went as expected.

Perhaps sentimentality distorted the facts, and actually Akashi felt no such thing. But she couldn't have imagined it either. Just because the redhead always had a taste for challenge.

"We aren't going to look for it?" Ritsu asked, suggesting out loud an idea that could have crossed his mind yet remained unspoken... or perhaps, squashed.

Akashi walked over to the door leading to the second room and opened it, as if he didn't hear her. Ritsu didn't reiterate her question and let him be.

"I thought about it." Yet, he waited quietly the other boy and her to catch him up before crossing the door. "However, we have wasted long enough time here, and besides we can't drag him any further for our amusement. No matter how fine he may sound, he's still injured."

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine." said politely the boy in question.

"We haven't given up, we're just changing our priority, you should do the same. We still need you to lead us to the exit."

"Thank you."

Akashi's concern affected the boy to some level. His voice became subtle while that whisper reached their ears with a warm intensity.

"All right, we're going."

* * *

Once again familiar with the place, the ghost boy led them without trouble. From the konjac jellies to the revenants, the way to exit didn't take them long, in spite of the usual bumps and bangs filling the darkness.

"We're in the last room. The exit is just ahead."

"The exit is here?..." Ritsu mumbled. The room was the fourth one, where she had pulled a sort of rope to get the key. From what she recalled there was three doors there, excluding the one they came from : One that opened to the sheets room, one without no handle, and a last they didn't check... Realising suddenly what that last door was, her last drop of enthusiasm vanished in the air. And to say, the exit had been under their nose.

On her way to the exit door along Akashi, Asaka tried her best to avoid the hanged skeletons. She had already her fill of them the last time they checked the room. Despite her efforts, having peace in this kind of place was too much to ask. She ran into the ghost boy in front who had suddenly stopped, then, out of the blue, a pile of bones assailed her from above.

*clac* *clac* *spam*

"Waah!" Surprised by the attack, she lost her balance and fell together with the squeleton. That made it twice that she found herself on the floor.

"..."

At the ruckus, Akashi turned back and walked up to clumsy duo.

"I'm sorry, my cape got stuck."

"...I guess we're even now."

"You two pair up well together." Akashi chuckled.

"You might have taken the right decision, Akashi-kun." If they had kept on searching for the Heart key, the nurse would certainly have been their next destination.

The ghost boy moved the squeleton aside while Akashi helped her standing again.

*cling*

"...?...!"

On her feet, she realised the ghost boy was still crouched. "Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing."

After the excitement and the deception came the comfort. A small one compared to their bad fortune. All three stood in front of the door, Akashi seized and pressed the handle, the next second the door decided to put some resistance. It was locked.

"I forget to tell you that you need a key to open it." The late notice came and faded as soon as it was made, sounding like a bad joke to one ear, drumming in the other like some sort of truth they came to accept over a long time spent in the event. They would not leave this Haunted house without trouble.

At this point, they had to admit their patience ran quite low with all the mishaps.

"Y-You should have mentioned it earlier..."

The soft rustles of a bag filled his owner silence, deliberately prolonged as to pressure the boy in giving one last explanation. The latter felt the push and went on in his even voice.

"You have to solve the riddle that is written next to the door and this leads you to the exit key."

His explanation went straight to the point and didn't betray a single quaver because of the faint pressure, which could have implied a long task or simply annoyed. Rather, his tone went up along a breath of hope and subdued assurance, as though as of now everything would go well for the two of them.

"But you won't have to do that." The boy earned the surprise of the duo. "Asaka-san, you mentioned earlier, after our encounter, that you two already found six keys. Did you find a key here?"

"Huh? Yes, after pulling a small rope." The exact instant prompted in her mind, she answered. " You mean we had the exit key all along with us?"

"Yes. In both course, you have to find five keys, but the sixth key is not mentioned for surprise."

To resumed things briefly, six keys were to be found in the Friends' course and seven in the Lovers with the Heart key. Despite the lack of energy and enthusiasm weighting on her body due to bad fortune and darkness, a warm sentiment of wonder sparked deep inside, her heart thumping against her chest in the same explosive way as that spark.

She already had stated it that earlier and didn't mind to reaffirm it again; but this haunted house was thought with care. And maybe was it because of those small and ordinary details that Akashi and her still had fun inside it, regardless of all their bad luck.

"We really had our lot of surprises here!" She laughed, now realising that their adventure would come to an end.

"It sure is an event I will remember." Spoke Akashi with the same light-heartedness. "Moments that only happened once are those we cherish for a lifetime."

The boy inserted the key in the lock and clicked the door. They came out on a small corridor, similar to the entrance. A faint and thin shaft of light at the end guided their way. She cracked a distant smile, both happy and sad to put this adventure on her back, while Akashi gradually invited the light in the corridor.

One step before the light, she turned her head back as to check on the ghost boy who had been their small glow admist darkness. A soft hand tighetened around her wrist, stopping her for a second and the next moment, she felt a cold sensation in her palm.

"Akashi-kun, Asaka-san. Thank you very much for your help. And congratulations on being the very first to have beaten the Haunted house."

As he thanked them, he remained in the darkness just like a shadow while they rejoined the light. He shut the door behind them in a quiet motion, leaving the duo who suddenly lost their voice after such parting ways.

Outside, the sunlight burned her eyes. After being locked in the darkness for such long time, she couldn't stand the radiant and lively scenery before her that brimmed with the merry and loud confusion of the festival. The silence hung in the air for so long gave way to chatters and laughts. Under such ordinary radiance, the light whipped her body with warm, awakening her senses fallen in lethargy. Ritsu was rubbing her eyes, when she reoppened them, white little stains blurred her sight due to the aggressive intensity of daylight, then she blinked. Once her vision allowed to define clear shapes, a peculiar one stole her a smile. The fleeting picture of Akashi bathed in sunlight seized her heart with a velvet grip, the feeling was so warm that it stroke up an unknown melody, and so gentle that those rhythmic notes set a quiet harmony inside her. Truthfully, she had missed his stern yet full-of-passion face.

"Congratulations you two!" The host skitted their way and threw some confetti that rained on the duo, while joyful claps from a girl sitting at a desk next to the exit praised their accomplishements. "Phew~ I was getting worried. You were in there for pretty long and no sign of you two. Here I thought you'd clear the house in a flash. Unless..."

His mind illuminated by some mischevious thoughts, he drew closer to them.

"Everything has worked out for you two." Then he winked and whispered to Akashi. "...if you know what I mean!"

Ritsu, who didn't hear last part exchanged between the two fellows, responded in a rather serious tone compared to the host's.

"No, it was horrible...Things didn't go well for us all down the line."

The host gave a suspicious look to Akashi, curious to know the story but, the important detail that aroused his curiosity turned to be Akashi's way of dealing with girls, which sounded awfully bad at the instant.

"W-What happened inside?" stammered the boy, looking forward to hear some naughty details of their wild adventure.

"I'll remember that experience." The host held his breath. Incoming gossip material ahead. "We took so much time because of—"

When she was about to pass the flashlight in her left hand to the right, her eyes flew open at the cold sensation felt minutes ago.

"And what next? Don't stop there!" The boy said excitedly, as she interupted herself at the most important moment.

"Huh?...AH!"

What was in her hand was the Heart key.

"...WOOOH! THE HEART KEY!" He cried out, affected by the same surprise. "Y-You found it! I thought it was lost! "

"Us too!" She sent an inquiring look at Akashi who seemed as astounded as her.

"How did you manage that?...Ah?! How do you even know we lost it?"

"It was the ghost!"

It was him, no doubt about it. He gave it to her just before they got out of the Haunted house. But why and when did he actually find it?

"The ghost?!"

"Let me clarify the situation." spoke up Akashi, as their conversation began to be very confused. "During our hunt, we met one of your classmates inside and he told us about the Heart key missing."

"But you can't talk to extras! That's against the rule!"

Akashi shrugged it off. "We didn't have any choice, our flashlight was defective and we were locked inside. We needed help and he was the only one we could ask."

At a stupefying piece of information, the boy gasped. "Don't tell me you did the treausure hunt in the dark?"

"We did." He said with connivance, his red eyes reflecting a kind attention toward Ritsu. "With great success, as it seems."

"You can't be serious!" The boy didn't believe his ears and exchanged a look with the girl at the desk whose silence spoke her surprise.

"Also, concerning your classmate, you should check on him and bring him to the nurse office. According to Asaka, he was in a rather pitiful state." Akashi didn't forget about their mysterious encounter and actually cared for him. Well, this ghost boy sure had his own way to give first impressions.

The host raised his eyebrow "Something happened to him?"

"He told us he had been hit by accident by a group of visitors and momentarily passed out." replied Ritsu.

"You should go, Matsuda." The girl threw at him a flashlight.

"Yep." The boy opened the exit door and disappeared soon after. "Hey, Kuroko! You're still alive? Your hero has come!"

"So~" Forgetting about her classmate, the girl clasped her hands and examinated the two challengers. "I bet you have all the keys!"

"You guess ri—"

"WAAAH―!" The host's shout pierced the haunted house walls.

It seemed that their ghost also had found light again. Akashi and Ritsu exchanged connived smiles.

Then, the redhead put all the keys on the table, followed by Ritsu who placed the Heart key beside the others.

"You two are completely crazy!"

She bent down and searched the items in all the cardboxes. After a full minute of search, she stood up again while displaying their lots. Akashi smirked at their sight, his eyes were scintilling again in happiness as they strangely managed to win all the prizes. If it weren't for the missing Heart key that reappeared miraculously when they had given up on it. That was truly a stroke of luck...

A stroke of luck named «_Kuroko_».

"You're the very first ones who obtained the six keys!"

She hold out the first lot of prizes to Ritsu. Gladly accepting it, she looked into it. There were three enveloppes containing respectively a limited card for a month of free meals at the cafeteria, a ticket for free snacks at various food stalls and a free pass for some attractions in the festival; and the rest was a cute ghost key chain and a pumpkin notebook.

Akashi also inspected his prizes, his faint smile stretched into a bright one, exposing his happiness to the view. His usual stern face had his traits mellowed by a soft brush of innocence during the short lapse of time his eyes were focused on the winning prizes. This picture of him simply smiling was so perfect to her eyes.

"Now then, stretch your arms."

Both of them extented their right arms on which the girl fastened a silver chain bracelet where entwined two thin bands of metal on the facing edge, one was silver the other band was red for her and blue for Akashi.

"A proof of your love. That's the ultimate prize of the Lovers course."

This prize really paid off for their efforts because...

"Like it or not, now you are bonded!" declared the girl and came closer to them. "Isn't that the best prize ever?"

"It seems you'll have to cope with me for a very long time, Akashi-kun."

"Likely. But it is not a bad prospect."

...Had they never been lost in this dark maze, they would have never been this close to each other. They created a simple bond between them.

Beside, there was nothing more satisfying than sharing a happy moment after hardships.


	23. An epic love story (1)

In the improvised changing room, everyone got their hands full, either fetching missing items or running around the room from a student to another to help the actors getting dressed or coiffed. The performance was starting in less than an hour.

Ritsu put on the long and formless black dress with the help of one of her classmate in charge of the costume, then wore the black gloves. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled putting the pointed hood of her cape that covered just the back of her head. Her witch image was amusing to see, her whole body was plain black. She gave a twirl, like a little girl who got a new dress, making the long black sleeves and the bottom of her dress swayed by the enthusiatic movement revealing her black boots and letting the cape float lightly in the air.

"It's very light."

"Yes, it's to contrast with the Princess' heavy dress. At first, I thought the Witch dress was too plain but on you it gives off an enchanting vibe."

"For a witch, this sounds more like an insult." The girl laughed at her joke while she did a final check of the costume.

"Simple things seems to suit you the most, Asaka. Ah. Don't take it the wrong way."

"I"m not. It's true that I don't like flashy things."

"If I were to say that to Himeno, she'd yell at me."

Her assertion was correct, Himeno wasn't the type to be merely satisfied with simple things, eccentricity and coquetry are more accurate terms to define her.

Ritsu stared at the latter who marvelled at how the princess dress beautified herself twirling around to show off. A pinkish whirlwind spinned around the class, displaying her greatness to everyone's eyes, especially to certain jealous girls who still envied her role.

"Himeno, would you stop moving around for a second? We still haven't fix your hairstyle!" complained the girl in charge of Himeno. "Come back here now! You'll ruin your make up with sweat! Just by looking at you, I feel hot!"

At that particular word, the princess stopped and looked down on the girl. "What are you talking about? «Sweat» is a unknown term for a girl like me. Unlike you all, I'm a princess!"

Her claim incured the deaden wrath of all the girls. The princess role got completely to her head, even then it was a bit of an offense to all the humble princesses. Sometimes her haughty character was very difficult to deal with if there wasn't someone to restrain her. Like Akashi.

"We don't have the leisure time to wait on her. Instead of styling her hair, why don't we put a wig?" suggested Yoshiwara who was supervising the last preparations on the girl's side.

"A wig?!"

"Yeah. Your long black hair are wasting the costume. Pink and black mixed together are not to my liking."

"Who cares about your liking? And why should I wear a wig when Asaka is not?" Ritsu facepalmed at her name. "You think a blond witch is more credible?"

"We're already fixing her hair. Contrary to YOU! So if you have time to complain, get your hair styled for god's sake!" got impatient Yoshiwara, nettled by Himeno's attitude. "You're the last one that has to get ready!"

"Isn't that the normal? The princess has to keep everyone waiting." She sneered loudly, placing a hand near the corner of her mouth.

"...I give up. I'll go see if the boys are ready which is probably the case since Akashi-kun is over there..."Yoshiwara get out and went to the next room where the boys were changing.

All of a sudden, the girls heard a deadly scream, it was Yoshiwara. Some of the girls including Ritsu rushed in the hallway to see the girl in the King's arms surrounded by other boys.

"What the heck! Yoshiwara has fainted!"

"What did you do to her?" asked a girl as stupefied as the rest.

"The hell I know! She opened the door and then she passed out!" The King shook her. "Come on! Snap out of it! And why is she grinning like that?!"

Indeed, everyone was wondering why she had this blissful face.

"It's manifestly a heatstroke. Take her to a cool place and fan air over her. She'll eventually regain consciousness very soon." Akashi's poised voice ordered calm while revealing his fully dressed self to the light.

The prince itself was absolutely breathtaking. All the girls was awe-stricken by the emerging silouhette of their blazing prince, gaping as drool could almost dripped from their mouth. His majesty was brought out by that immaculate white tailcoat with an embroidered collar sewn in gold thread from where a gold lace came down and split into two to each side along them were fastened three golden buttons. The plain black pants with a thin strap of gold to the sides constrasted vividly with the pure white, adding a solemn charm to his imperial self emphasized by a flamboyant red cape over his left shoulders and partially covering his arm, attached by two golden lanyards passing under his right arm topped by a black and gold epaulette; and a red scabbard fastened on his belt that was holding a longsword, revealed by its black hilt. The costume was magnificient, yet it couldn't have given off the same aura on somebody else. That supreme aura came from Akashi himself, he didn't a need a crown to command respect, a simple feathered black tricorn was enough to suit the humble prince he was.

In a single instant, the blazing prince had conquered all the girls hearts. Not a word nor a breath was uttered during that sacred moment where girls indulged themselves to the sweet world of dreams, fantasising wildly of their supreme prince on his white horse.

"Hey...Your faces are all red...and very creepy by the way." freaked out the King as he gawked at the bunch of girls who bored the same blissful expression as Yoshiwara. The girls felt the temperature rising, that vision was almost too much to even bear to watch.

"I-I-It's the heat!" lied a girl averting her eyes from Akashi.

"Don't all faint over us! Go drink water or something!"

"W-We won't, dummy!" retorted another girl who snapped out of her fantasy.

"Good then. Are all the girls ready?" asked Akashi melting all his girls classmates hearts again.

"W-We're all ready except for Himeno..."

"I see." All the girls jolted as his red eyes stared at them, examinating thoroughly the costume of each girls. "The costumes are very well-made. That's great work."

"T-Thank you! We did our best!" exclaimed the girl that had supervised the costume making.

"Oh my! Akashi-kun, you're resplendent! Like a true prince!"

Himeno hurtled out the changing room and ran to her prince for the day.

"Likewise."

"Hehe! We match perfectly together! We'll be the star couple of the school festival, you can count on it!" She fawned over him while mincing under the astounded gaze of the rest of the boys. "Say, Akashi-kun, after the play, d-do you have some free time?"

Everyone gasped when she asked him out, the next second everyone shifted their attention to the latter in wait for his answer.

"Some other time maybe. I have a prior commitment with somebody else."

"Who?!" Himeno cried aloud as she expected a positive response even if it was Akashi. She cleared her throat, trying to stay a refined girl in front of him. "Ahem! Who, may I ask?"

"A friend."

Ritsu knew that prior commitment he mentionned was the friendship quizz constest and this mysterious friend was none but her. As for a quick explanation, something odd happened. After they cleared the Hauted House event, when Akashi and her reached the second year floor to participate in the contest, Momoi's bunch of admirers assailed her, bombarding her with one question : where was her pink haired friend. Immediately riled up by them, she fled dragging Akashi along her. Their escape resulted in a tremendous waste of time that her red haired friend didn't mind to let her know after he made the bunch of idiots scram, bored to run around aimlessly. And here the reason why they had posponed it after the play since they had to attend a last briefing with the whole class and had to prepare themselves.

"Can I tag along too?" Himeno wouldn't let the chance to spend the festival with Akashi slipped so easily. Plus she was suspicious about the gender of that friend, already scheming something if it was a girl.

"I only need one person for―"

"I can just replace that person." She cut him off to spout nonsense.

Akashi slightly narrowed in eyes, his annoyance passed unnoticed to the princess and the rest of the class, except Ritsu. By the look of things, soon some tears would fall if she didn't shut her mouth. Her assumption may be off the mark, but she couldn't let the prince break the princess' heart when they still hadn't stand on stage yet. So sometimes one had to show some self-denial for everybody's interest.

"Himeno-san. It's not nice of you."

The Princess glowered at the Witch's intervention drawing all the attention to her.

"I never ask your opinion, Asaka." Ritsu pretented not to hear her remark and went on as she repeated to herself she was doing it for the class' interest and not for that haughty princess.

"Whatever. You should take into consideration Akashi-kun's feelings. You're being a pai...selfish." Himeno's lips twiched nervously as Ritsu almost let slip out the word that was betraying her thought. "The least you can do is share Akashi-kun with his friends after the play. You're already keeping him to yourself during the whole play since you're his princess. And if I may add one more important detail...You two share a kiss at the end. Isn't that a unique privilege only a princess like you can get? I barely think he would kiss his friends."

Himeno became bright red at the mention of the kissing scene.

"So, it would be very gracious of you to let Akashi-kun spend time with his friends."

She hoped by rubbing her up the right way, she would eventually give up and leave Akashi alone before his legendary sharp tongue would make the poor princess cry and ruin her make-up.

"T-T-The kiss...with Akashi-kun...His lips on...mine..." muttered the princess lost herself in her world of fantasy then she sniggered and rose her head up with eyes full of stars shaking her prince's arm. "...O-Okay! Next time then! We can always hang out another time, Akashi-kun!"

Mission accomplished. No shedding tears, a princess fully animated by love and merry people.

"...Since we'll be sharing an intimate moment together soon."

Her finger brushed his chest tracing a line to his heart causing everyone to shudder by Akashi's reaction who seized instantly her wrist that made Himeno jolted in excitement and called Ritsu's name.

"I come to understand why witches had to die in stories... It is regrettable that this role fits you so well, Asaka"

She ignored the comment for her own good.

"She's a deceitful girl. Black is the best color that could suit a girl like her."

"...As always your kind words goes straight to the heart, Himeno-san..." She sighed. That was what happened when she tried to help a conceited girl. Good acts were never rewarded and gratitude was always expressed with contempt. She was too soft-hearted, and a fool to boot to let Akashi in the hands of that nasty princess.

"Then it means you do not know her well. White is the best color to define her." After putting the clinging pinkish princess in her place, he pulled her away. Finally free, his pair of red eyes shifted to Ritsu whose lips moved silently expressing her thanks to him. He nodded and turned to the whole class returning in his class representative role.

"Everyone is ready? Shino-san and the others are waiting."

"Yeah! By the way, Takaya is staying behind to look after Yoshiwara."

And the troop set off to the stage. The Prince lead the march, by his side the Princess, followed by the Witch and the rest of the actors.

* * *

"Over here, Aomine-kun!"

Momoi gestured and leaned forwards for her childhood friend to spot her among the countless heads that came to watch performances from different clubs wriggling happily from their seat. The boy fought his way through to reach one opened seat that Momoi kept warmly.

"Grab it." said Aomine handing a crêpe to Momoi and slumped on the chair. His nonchalant gaze fell on his teammates occupying the two seats next to her childhood friend and was very surprised to see them."What, the Midorima substitute plan worked?"

"Yep, when we get rid of them, we texted Momo-chin and she said to come here since they can't cause an uproar here." Murasakibara replied as he was devouring his fourth pocky box, leaving crumbs fall on his uniform he had changed into not long ago along with Midorima.

"They were completely taken in!" Proud of herself, the pink haired girl raised her thumb up. "Murasakibara-kun and Midorin had fooled everyone!"

"Eeeh..." Aomine gaped impressed by their feat.

A grunt was emitted right beside the giant body. Midorima was sitting to his left, his brow was twitching nervously preventing himself from making any comment on the previous situation.

The Midorima substitute plan, as Aomine stupidly named it, was in fact more a last resort solution than an actual plan. One hour ago, while they still were running around the whole school campus, they bumped into Aomine and Midorima who were lazing under a tree and decided to ask their help using the brief time break they gained thanks to Murasakibara's long legs. The two boys refused to put their pride at stake as they were still in skirts. For them, parading in the school compound like that was simply out of the question. How could they be the least credible in their girl outfit to stop a whole bunch of infuriated guys? Was what they told Momoi when she tried to persuade them.

But they were running out of time, an incoming dust storm burst into their view. Midorima and Aomine freaked out, they had underestimated the number of her admirers. In the urgency of the situation, Momoi thought of using a substitute that would wear her wig to let them think it was her. The two boys opposed but Momoi yelled back threatening them to add some changes to their training menu.

And so the substitute was decided by rock-paper-scissor. Midorima lost, Momoi and him exchanged their wig using Murasakibara's body to swap their place discretly, and the next second the giant carried Midorima in a bride style as the girl advised Murasakibara to hide Midorima's form when he was running. The giant scrambled. When the bunch of admirers was about to get past Aomine and Momoi, the tanned boy hid quickly his childhood friend behind the tree feigning ignorance while the guys rushed after the squirrel.

After recalling this moment, Momoi gave him a compassionate look, thanks to him she was able to secure herself from those obstinate guys. "It's all thanks to Midorin!"

"Mido-chin was really heavy. Plus it was hard to run and listen to him grumbling. And those guys were a pain to deal with when they saw him with Momo-chin's wig."

"By the way I didn't ask you how you dealt with them." asked Momoi turning to the boy.

Midorima reajusted his glasses. "...We send them to Asaka. It was the most efficient way to get rid of them since she was with you. Anyway, she seemed to have a lot of free time to spend. "

"EEEH?!" cried aloud Momoi startling the people around her who turned to her with round eyes. "How could you do that?!"

"Whatever. They swallowed it."

"B-B-But she won't manage to get rid of them all alone! We have to―"

"_The play_ _«The Sleeping Beauty», performed by class 1-A, will shortly begin in gymnasium B. I repeat..._"

"1-A? That's Akashi-kun's class!" At the announcement, Momoi calmed down and peered at the empty stage.

"And Asaka's. Meaning she's safe and sound."

"It's in your best interests that's the case!" She puffed her cheeks at her warning then took a bite of the crêpe. "So their play was programmed at this hour?"

"What, Akashi's going to act for real?" Aomine gasped in surprise.

"I don't know. He told me his class were performing a play but he never said a word about a role in it." Suddenly Momoi laughed it up, thrilled by a silly idea. "What if he plays the prince?..."

All the three boys kept silent as their silence was speaking for itself. Imagining their vice-captain as a prince charming was beyond this world. It would never happened.

The gymnasium lights slowly dimmed, several succint knocks on the floor announced the beginning of the play. As they silenced and drew the public eyes to the stage, three distinctive knocks echoed in the darkened place.

* * *

_Midorima sure has it tough during this festival compared to the others. Well, it could have been Aomine. But let's say Cancer ranked below Virgo this day._

_Follow the beginning of the play in the next chapter!_

_Feel free to leave some reviews!_


	24. An epic love story (2)

[_Once upon a time, there lived a grieving King and Queen who wished for the most wonderful gift in the world, a child. And their prayers were answered as the Queen gave birth to a beautiful princess_.]

The narration part gave way to the actors that the sliding curtains slowly revealed.

[_Overjoyed, the King, decided to throw a party to celebrate the birth of their daughter. The news travel across the whole country and all the people came to see their new princess._]

In the center of the stage were sitting the King and the Queen on their throne surrounded by few extras that played the common people.

[_But also three fairies who was named by the King as their princess' godmothers._]

The three fairies made their entrance on the stage.

The King rose up from the throne and raised both his arms up. "_Today, we will enjoy ourselves to our heart's content as this day is marked by the birth of my luminous child!_"

The Queen took in her arms the baby doll that slept in the craddle place between the two thrones and placed herself besides the King and the two bored a happy face looking at the baby.

"_Look at our princess! She's a gift sent from Heaven!_" The extras hailed the baby princess and their majesties.

"_How right you are, my King._" Three soft voices sprung amid the common people that gave way to them, presenting the three sky blue fairies bowing courteously to their royalties. "_To celebrate such happy event, each of us will bless the little princess._"

The fairies advanced to the baby in the Queen's arms. The first fairy jiggled the stick upon the baby princess's face.

"_Princess, your beauty and your grace shall bedazzle the entire world._"

She stepped back and the second took her turn.

"_Your voice shall be as melodious as a nightingale._"

In her turn, the third fairy stood before the baby princess but suddenly the light went off. An awkward evil laugh pierced the darkness, heavy steps echoed as the light stage slowly lightened again and the Witch form, donned in black spoiled the feast, appearing behind the curtain.

"_Isn't this a charming party, I see here? _"

Ritsu gave a sidelook at the public and sighed internally, feeling a bit nervous to be under the spotlight as an actress and not as a pianist.

"_Oh, my!_ So e_veryone is gathered here..._" Just like during the rehearsal, she mingled within the crowd and made her way to the throne and teased the extra by grazing them with her fingertips and forcing herself to grin spitefully. "_Your people..._" Then reaching the two thrones, she placed herself at the opposite of the three fairies, letting like this the public to have a clear view of each characters. "_And those hideous fairies...Everyone is here to celebrate that little princess, «EVERYONE» exCEpt «ME»!_"

Her intonation went off pitch at the end, she had forced a little too much on her voice as she coughed faintly. While she turned to the King and Queen, she cleared her throat and followed up with her lines.

"_Maybe can I ask their majesties why?_"

* * *

"Asaka-chan is playing the Witch?!" exclaimed Momoi trying to keep a low voice. "What a surprise...!"

"I was right afterall. There was nothing to worry about her. She's doing alright."

Completely ignoring Midorima's comment, the pink haired girl stared in wide shock her sweet friend acting like a spiteful witch.

"Eeeeh... I knew something was wrong when she suggested the bet earlier. Asa-chin is revealing her true nature." noted Murasakibara, eating up his sixth pocky box while nonchalantly watching the play like he would before a movie.

"What are you saying, Murasakibara-kun!" Momoi elbowed him gently leaving the giant indifferent.

"I noticed as well. She had that side in her." topped Midorima in a dead serious tone, folding his arms after he finished cleaning his glasses.

"Even Midorima!"

"She looks nothing like a witch!" grunted Aomine, tilting his head to his two teammates who gave him back an inquiring glance whereas Momoi nodded, supporting cheerfully his childhood friend whom for once said something she wholeheartedly agreed with.

"That's because you are unsure of what she had had schemed against Akashi to make him have lunch with her." The tanned boy gaped allowing Midorima to continue. "She even dragged Murasakibara into it, and she managed to rob Akashi's wallet under his nose."

"Seriously?! " Aomine was the last informed of that event. "When did that happen?"

"M-Midorin, you're twisting the facts. It was Murasakibara-kun who stole Akashi-kun."

"Remember the day Akashi doubled Murasakibara's training menu? It was that day."

"And she didn't even get punished by Aka-chin later." added Murasakibara dejectedly.

His blue eyes were wide open then he shifted his gaze to the plain black witch who was laughing in an odd manner.

"She has more guts than I thought...!"

* * *

"_Ahaha! Your majesties, I'm quite offended by your mistake._" Ritsu feigned a pained expression, rubbing her cheek on the long wand mesuring more than half of her body. "_Forgetting a powerful witch like me, how regrettable!_"

"_W-We are humbly sorry!_" said the Queen dreading a ill turn from the Witch. "_But now you're here, let's enjoy ourselves, dear Witch._"

The Witch faced their Majesties with a smirk. "_Of course I'm here, invited or not, for nothing in the world I would miss such a magnificient party. And in proof of my goodwill, I shall bestow a beautiful gift for your little princess! A gift only a princess could dream for!_"

She advanced in a slow and graceful movement, making the King and the Queen back away keeping the baby out of the Witch's claw.

"_G-Guards!_" Shouted the King raising his arm as he commanded. "_Protect the princess!_"

"_Your Majesties are extremely rude to refuse a gift._" She feigned a pout just like Honda had told her to do during the rehearsal.

Two guards came hustling down the stage interposing themselves between the Witch and their Majesties. Again the Witch was offended and laughed it up.

"_How laughable! Do you think two mere guards can defeat me?_"

"_I don't see two guards, dear Witch, but five._" Claimed in confidence the King when three other guards cropped up onto the stage behind Ritsu's back and surrounded her. "_Chase her out!_"

Suddenly, for special effects, the light stage flickered accompanied with a thunderclap. The stage went back to normal. The Witch had struck down all the guards with her magic.

"_Well then..._" With no more obstacles, she placed herself in the downstage facing the public. "_I shall repay your ingratitude! Pay heed all of you and grave my words into your heart!_"

She outstreched her arms up then paused briefly for the drama effect.

"_On her sixteenth birthday, the princess shall prick her finger with a spindle and...SHE SHALL DIE! Nothing can undo my curse! AHAhaaaaHAHaaa~!_"

A thunder clapped again, the light blinked and the Witch went out of the stage as her evil laugh continued to echoe.

* * *

In the backstage, Honda welcomed her back with sparkling eyes.

"Ah, my Witch! You were so lovely, though your evil laughs were a bit odd to listen, especially the one at the end."

"Aha...Lovely...Not terrifying?" She asked shyly, removing the hood from her head.

"No!" She flatly said. "You're a soft heart!"

The backstage team giggled, Honda even got a smile out of Akashi resting in a corner with Himeno whom still glueing him.

Honda slapped her on the shoulder to cheer her up and returned to watch the play.

"Asaka, you have to hurry changing yourself for the next scene!" urged a classmate bringing her the next outfit she had to wear.

* * *

"_Do not grieve my King, though my power alone cannot undo the Witch curse, I shall not let die the princess._" The third fairy walked up to the baby doll and jiggled her stick above it. "_Princess, on your sixteenth birthday, you shall prick your finger on the spindle but you shall not die. You shall fall into a deep slumber and shall be awaken by a true act of love._"

"Y_ou have our deepest gratitude, kind fairies._" said the King as he was rejoined by the Queen faking to wipe tears.

"_My King, what a dreadful day. I can't imagine what will happen to our cute princess._"

"_I shall not let that spiteful Witch harm our child!_"

After the King's last claim, the stage darkened as all the extra and the fairy cleared the stage while the backstage assistants placed the spindle on the left side.

[_And thus, in order to prevent the curse from happening, the King decreed the prohibition of spindle use in the kingdom and the burning of all those ill-fated instruments...However._]

The spotlight flashed on a grown Princess, stepping for the first time on the stage, followed by two servants. Himeno took a glimpse of the public, then with a proud smile she held her head high and walked with a model-like gait taking the stage for a podium. Honda, who watched her first appearance, facepalmed as she had previously and countlessly instructed Himeno to have a more princess-like attitude instead of her usual self. But the girl carried out her instructions in her own style to Honda's great exasperation as the supposedly humble princess became a true haughty princess.

[_Those measures did not change the course of fate. The curious sixteen years old Princess would encounter her fate. Very soon._]

"_Princess, Your Majesties told us not wander off in this part of the castle._" The first servant said running after the Princess.

"_It is not safe here. We must go back at once._" The second tagged on. "_Or Your Majesties will get worry._"

The Princess turned a deaf ear. "_I'm intrigued by the place. It is the very first time I came here. We will go further!_"

"_Princess! I say we cannot!_"

Himeno stopped her track and turned slowly to the servants.

"_Who are you to tell me what I must do?_ _If you don't want to follow me, then leave me alone! Cowards should stay back!_"

She turned tail and hastened her track to exit the stage, the servants as well. The stage emptied while a shady old woman appeared and sat near the spindle when the princess' shrilling voice broke the silence.

"_Ah! I shall inform Father about those useless servants. They dared to leave a Princess like ME in a filthy place like this!_" She spoke aloud with a very high pitch voice mimicking surprise by gaping and gesturing in exgerrated manners, which were very far-fetched in that kind of scene. "_They are better off finding me quickly and do a correct job for once!_"

"Man, this princess is already damn annoying." Aomine yawned looking the Princess strutting on the stage.

"Their choice for the Princess is very interesting..."

"What a miscast." deplored Midorima. "But what I don't understand is their choice of making the Princess so arrogant."

"Well, she adds some freshness to the cast. In a sense, she's not the stereotypical sweet and naive princess like in fairytale!"

"...I still prefer the sweet one."

Momoi, Murasakibara and Aomine gasped altogether at his revelation, gawking at the dead serious face of their green haired friend. Sensing all their gaze on him, Midorima shrugged and added another comment to avoid any remarks from his comrades.

"...Instead of conceited princess. Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying I like meek girls."

"Ah. Mido-chin is trying to justify himself, meaning it's actually the truth."

"Murasakibara, I'd appreciate if you keep your comment for yourself."

"Aaaw~, Midorin don't be shy!" Momoi poked his cheek in a jest. "One day, you'll find your princess!"

Midorima almost choked himself at the «princess» word.

"For your information, I don't need a princess."

"Baa...After being carried like a princess, it's true you don't need one anyway." yawned again Aomine before Midorima's lucky item whacked him in the back of the head.

"Do that again!" Aomine provoqued his teammate who took him by his words. "You're dead, Midorima."

"I also think the same."

The two stood up from their chair right in the middle of the play turning away the public gaze from the stage to them. Momoi gestured while urging them to sit back as they drew inadvertently more and more people attention in their stupid quarrel.

"I'll beat the crap out of you at basketball."

"We'll see―"

"HEEEEEYYY! YOU!" At the princess' roar, Midorima and Aomine shifted their attention to the stage where Himeno stood downstage infuriated to have her glory moment ruined by two idiots. Momoi buried herself in the chair, embarrassed to be between them. "YEAH, YOU TWO! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP! ARE YOU RETARDED OR WHAT TO RUIN MY GLORY TIME!?"

"AH?!" Exclaimed back Aomine as the princess' cocky attitude got on his nerves. "WHY DON'T YOU JUST IGNORE US?"

"BECAUSE EVERYONE HAVE TO LOOK AT ME! NOT YOU, MORONS!"

"MAYBE THEY HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR BAD ACTING?!"

"That's enough. I won't allow such rude behaviors during a play."

Through the narrator's mike, a curt voice rung out, immediately casting a chill in the gymnasium. The whole colorful bunch petrified as their eyes were glued on the stage and shuddered at the possibility that their vice-capitain showed up on the stage.

"If troubles remain, I shall deal with it myself. Did I make myself clear?"

To their relief, he remained in the backstage, but a lingering feeling of apprehension fretted them as they were uncertain whether they were out of trouble or not since Akashi might have recognize Aomine's loud voice. So for now, they kept a low profile.

Back on the stage, the princess was in awe after being rescued by her prince that indicated her to continue with a vague tilt of the head. But she didn't react, her black orbs were full of stars thinking he had stood up just for her.

"Ahem!" Ritsu, disguised as the old woman, coughed on purpose in order to awake the Princess lost in wild fantasy.

"What?" She looked away from Akashi and suddenly came down to earth when she faced the public. "Oh, right!"

She cleared her throat and took up her Princess role again like nothing happened.

"_Oh, what do I see? I have never seen such strange object!_" She skipped all smiles toward the Old woman near the spinning wheel.

"_Are you curious, my dear child?_"

"_Yes, very!_" Himeno blinked like crazy trying to show her curiosity.

"_This is a spinning wheel. Do you__―_"

"_Let me try it!_"

She didn't let Ritsu say her lines properly. She approached her and in a swift movement she shoved her to the side, trampling on her foot by the way. Ritsu winced, holding her pain back without letting it show on her face.

The Princess took the spin and played with it. Then she came down to the center of the stage scanning the public and pricked her finger on the spin at the moment she thought right.

"_Aah!_" She staggered here and there, about to faint in any minute. "_What is happening to me?Aaaaah..._" Sadly, she was still standing. Now she was panting like she was affected by some illness. "_I feel my body getting cold...W-What is happening to me...!Aaaahh...!_" Her whole body quivered. "_I don't see anything...! Ooooh..._" After three endless minutes, the Princess finally gave her last breath.

Ritsu couldn't do anything but staring at the motionless Princess, her supposed death blew the whole public away. All the crappy acting for that...even an elementary schooler could have done better.

"W-W-W-W-W-W-Wha...?!" Behind the scene, Honda was in the incapacity to put words on what she was actually feeling from the Princess' improvised part.

The silent prolonged with no one uttering a single word. The Princess' perfomance had so much impact that Ritsu totally forgot she was on the stage.

"Hey, Asaka! Are you trying to waste my acting talent? Say your lines, damn it!" whispered the princess lying on floor as she turned creepily her face.

Ritsu get a grip of herself, she ran to the front and unveiled her head revealing to the public that she was the Witch.

"_T-The Princess has died...! Ahahahaaa! My, what a p-pleasant day!_"

The servants stomped their way to the center, discovered the sleeping body of the Princess and cried out in fear while the Witch took great delight in hearing the servants' suffering.

"_Good night, Princess! May you rest in peace!_"

[_On those last words, the Witch vanished, leaving behind her a mourning kingdom. The King and the Queen were inconsolable. However, all hope was not lost as the Princess was only sleeping, awating to be awaken by a true act of Love._]

The stage engulfed in darkness, three spotlights illuminated the fairies who were performing their magic by agitating their stick in the air.

[_Aggrieved by Their Majesties' sadness, the fairies decided to put the whole kingdom in slumber that shall awake the same day as the Princess. For years, they travelled across the world and told the tale of the Sleeping Princess in order to save the Kingdom._]

The spotlight went off for a couple minutes as the backstage team changed rapidly the set. On the background, the castle was erected behind a few trees and bushes made in carboard.

[_A hundred of years had passed. The slumberous kingdom almost sunk into oblivion if it weren't for the arrival of a young Prince from the Northern country._]

* * *

_Ahaha. Akashi as a prince will be saved for later! I'm still writting it._

_Well, Asaka managed well as the Witch. But the princess is really something. As I was writting I didn't expect her to turn so bad..._

_See you soon, everyone! Hope you liked those three chapters!_

_Feel free to leave some reviews!_


	25. An epic love story (3)

_Hey, guys!_

_Are you ready for the Prince part? Akashi will shine upon the stage! _

_Honestly, I didn't expect this chapter to be this long! But, I imagine you won't mind it, don't you?_

_Good reading and have fun~!_

* * *

As the light returned, a boy, dressed like an old man, rested himself on a stump place near a bush supporting his body with the walking stick he placed before him.

Several seconds after, from the left side of the stage, the Prince made his appearance and strode on the stage. His bearing impressed the public. As his confident steps stomped on the floor, his solemn and humble profile were all it took to enrapture the public eyes and gained their sympathy. He was definetely a Prince.

* * *

"A-A-Akashi-kun...! The Prince!? So that's why he kept secret about the role distribution! He was too shy to reveal it!" Momoi gasped loudly, putting both the hands over her mouth. The image was so surrealistic that she began to giggle.

"Shy? Akashi?" scoffed Aomine, tossing his head back.

"But the outfit suit him perfectly well. He's quite handsome dressed like this. Don't you think?"

"Why are you asking us?" asked Midorima as he felt unconcerned by the subject. "Dressed as a prince or not, Akashi is just Akashi."

"The festival is full of surprise. Compared to all of us, Aka-chin is the luckiest to be dressed like a prince." Murasakibara chewed very slowly his last pocky stick, staring enviously at the blazing prince.

"What, you're jealous of his costume?" The tanned boy jerked his head to the side while cleaning his ear with his little finger. "You want to be a prince...?"

"Yep. As a prince, I could demand all the snacks I want." affirmed Murasakibara with a big smile. "Why Aka-chin always has the good role?...It's unfair. I end up with a big squirrel costume. Momo-chin was dressed like a guy and Mido-chin and Mine-chin were two creepy girls...hm..."

"Murasakibara, can you stop thinking with your stomach? You're talking nonsense. If you want to eat, use your own money!"

The giant boy's smile was brought down in an instant. All because, his green haired teammate spoiled his fun.

"...Momo-chin, do you think the sword Aka-chin has around his waist is real?"

Momoi perked her head up and knitted her brows in a quizzical manner. "I think it's just for show. That would be dangerous if it were a real one and the school wouldn't allow it. Why do you ask? "

"Too bad. Maybe he could have a good use of it later... If he knew the name of some troublemakers."

"You're not saying that you're going to report to Akashi-kun."

"It depends on my goodwill. Yes, that's it."

"Ah?! Your goodwill?!" Midorima and Aomine cried aloud as they couldn't cope with the situation they were in. They were actually threatened by the purple head, that was a first.

"You're being too loud! Deal with it later! We can't cause a commotion when Akashi-kun is on the stage!" The pink-haired girl hushed them, placing her fingers over the mouth.

Aomine emitted a grunt as he sank into the chair with his arms folded. Then she shifted her attention to Murasakibara and Midorima who looked the other way. Finally having the silence, she exhaled heavily and rubbed her temples. Sometimes she felt like dealing with three elementary schoolers.

* * *

The Prince stopped in his tracks, right in the middle stage, and looked up to the background scenery. "_At last, here is the entrance of those legendary cursed woods._"

"_Oh-oh-oh!_ _What a rare sight! It has been more than a hundred years since I last saw someone ventured himself on those forgotten lands._" The Old Man raised his head to the latter.

"_You live pretty long._ _May I ask who you are?_"

"_I am but an old man who lives quietly at the entrance of these woods._" revealed the Old Man rubbing his white long bear. "_To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, young man? Are your purpose lies beyond those woods?_"

"_They are__._" At his short answer, the Old man staggered to his feet and began to snigger behind his beard.

"_Hehehe. How brave! Oooor should I say IMPRUDENT! Those woods are cursed! Cursed, you hear?_" Near Akashi, he jerked his head forwards toward the latter wriggling his bushy brows. "_A few curious has ventured into the forest and never came back. THEY NEVER CAME BACK! THEY GOT LOST! THOSE BUNCH OF LOSERS! AHAHAHAHA_!" Screamed the Old Man across the stage as he was face-on the public, tossing his head back and raising his hands in the air. But a short blank ensued causing him to be a bit worried. Keeping his stance, he peeked at Akashi who seemed sneak up by his last improvised lines. His pair of red eyes were slightly widened in surprise."...W-Was that too much, Akashi?"

"No, you did fine, I guess." Said Akashi, wondering in what kind of play he was actually featuring. He had the slight impression of playing in a comical show and the cause lay in those improvised parts. It was a fact that improvisation gave a particular feel to a play, but solely if it was well-played, which wasn't the case. The bad acting caused damage to the play's credibility that dropped significantly at the Princess' appearance. The quality of her acting ‒ though it was difficult for him to acknowledge this as acting, was very poor. Why didn't she do as she has been told during the rehearsal?

Akashi sighed under his breath, feeling the urge to do something. He couldn't let the bad acting ruined any further the play. He had to think of a quick solution to raise the quality of the play.

"_I'm perfectly aware of this. But, your warning won't dissuade me. Regardless of the danger, I shall fulfill my purpose. This land has been slumbering far too long. I shall put an end to it. And nothing shall stand in my way._"

In a confident manner, the Prince turned his back on the Old Man, ready to enter the forest. "_Your bravery is worth-praising but the Witch, who has gained control over this land, would have none of it, young man. In your quest, your path will be fraught of dangers. And your overconfidence will certainly lead you to your demise. Beware of the Witch. She is powerful._"

"_So be it._" After the Old Man's warning, the Prince disappeared into the forest as the light stage slowly extinguished. The Old Man left the stage.

[_In spite of the danger, the brave Prince set a foot into the dark forest. Inside it, the light barely passed throught the thick foliage of trees and inhuman sounds echoed in the distance. But where others had failed, the Prince's pure heart didn't falter and fought against the darkness_.]

Under the dim light, Akashi walked across the stage when three Fairies emerged from the carboard tree props. At their appearance, he grabbed the black hilt of his sword eyeing suspiciously the sky blue creatures.

[ _Near the end of the forest, three kin creatures welcomed him_.]

"_We've been waiting for your coming!_" Perfectly aligned, the three Fairies bowed, courteously lifting up their skirt.

"_Who are you?_"

"_We, fairies, has been watching over this land for a long time now and are the one who pas on the tale of the Sleeping Princess in hope of your arrival, Prince._"explained the middle fairy.

"_Only someone with a pure heart could reach this far. The forest curse prevents anyone from reaching the castle._" added the fairy on the left.

"_I have never heard of it. But I'm wondering what gracious creature like you are doing in this cursed forest._" said the Prince tightening his grip on his sword and looked at the three Fairies. "_You may actually be a Witch's trap._"

"_We would never ally ourselves with such vile creature, my lord!_" The fairy on the right riled up in protest, gripping tightly both tips of her magic stick. When a faint cracking sound caused Akashi and the other two fairies to widen their eyes. Her lack of control broke the stick in two. Luckily, that blunder seemed to have passed unnoticed to the public eyes, only those on stage were aware of it. The girl immediately hid the crack with her hand and laughed it off in a awkward manner.

One of the fairies took a step forward. "_T-That is the truth... Believe in us, Akas__–Ah! M__y lord. We need your help to break the curse that the Witch has casted upon this land long ago. You are the chosen one who will awake the Princess._"

"_Y-Yeah_..._er, yes!_ _O-Only you can do it. No matter how powerful the Witch's magic is, it cannot triumph over a pure and generous heart._" The three sky blue fairies bowed once again in front of the brave Prince and exclaimed all together. "_Please save this land._"

"_That is my purpose from the very begining._" affirmed the Prince in a casual tone. "_I shall awake this country. But, dear fairies, I refuse to be claimed as a savior. My presence in this land is only due to boredom. The tale you have passed on in my country has always intrigued me. So I wanted to see everything with my own eyes._"

The Prince turned his face to the background scenery.

* * *

"Uwa. The prince sounds so like...Akashi-kun."

"Don't say the obvious! The Prince is played by him. What do you expect?"

"I don't know...His lovely side, maybe. Akashi-kun is always so strict! Look!" Momoi tightened her lips and narrowed slightly her eyes trying to imitate in her way Akashi's gaze. "He sometimes looks like this! That's kinda scary!"

"Momo-chin, it's like you ate something bad." At the remark, she pouted her lips, persuaded her imitation was good.

"Whatever...But I wonder how he will deal with the kissing scene? It could be interesting!"

The three boys all blanked at the mention of the kiss. Their wild look were stuck on stage where the Prince was blessed by the Fairies' magic.

* * *

"_May you forgive us for our humble help. Blessing is the only thing we can do for you. We cannot go with you, the Witch's magic refrains us from approaching the castle_." said the fairy on the middle inclining slightly her head forwards.

"_Do not forget, my lord. Pierced the Witch in the heart to defeat her. Or she might flee._" reminded him the fairy on the right.

"_However, with your kind and brave heart, I'm sure you shall be victorious._" encouraged him with a warm smile. "_We shall pray for your victory._"

The Prince nodded. "_Thank you. I shall not forget your precious help, dear fairies._" Then he swung round to face again the castle in the distance and stepped forwards. "_Farewell._"

[_And thus the blessed Prince parted ways with the Fairies._]

The fairies quickly returned to the backstage while Akashi stood behind the curtain on the left side of the stage. At the opposite of him, he caught sight of Ritsu getting ready for the next scene which was the Witch and the Prince's confrontation.

His gaze resting on her, Honda seemed to gave her some last minute instructions, swinging back and forth the Witch's wand near the ash blond girl who was nodding to every words to make her stop. By the vigorous movements, it was certainly related to the action scene that would go smoothly given the time Ritsu and him had spent to perfect it during rehearsals. From all the scenes he had rehearsed, this one was the easiest he had to do. She was a quick study compared to the conceited Princess. Now that he thought of her, an idea popped in his mind. The time had come for the play to mark people's mind. His plan could only work during this scene.

[_...The Prince reached the castle where no sound could be heard._]

Akashi emerged from the curtain and rambled on the stage, following the narration's lead.

"_So this is the castle. What silence... Death seems to rule over the place._"

"_My,_ h_ow many years has it been since someone has trod upon this castle?_" The black Witch stomped her way on the stage staring down at the Prince.

"Y_our memory seems to fail you. In my humble opinion, you have lived too long, dear Witch._"

"_Oh, you break my heart. Such words shouldn't cross the lips of a young man like yourself. The reason I've been living so long is because those around me die so quickly...Ahahahaaaaa..._" From up close, her face was truly weird to look upon when she was forcing herself to snigger. Ritsu wasn't the least convinced by her laugh making it sound more awkward than evil, just like during her introduction scene.

Akashi never heard such bad laugh that it was at same time ironically laughable. Knowing her, it wasn't certainly out of bad faith but due to stress. She said her lines as she was supposed to, with good intonation and a clear voice. He had nothing to complain about at the sole exception of that laugh. That was the sole reproach he could do about her acting, and he hoped she would keep that strong mind for his pending plan.

"_Shall I help you to see them again?_"

"..._How interesting!_ _Your bravery is truly admiring._" A few meters apart, they faced each other. "_To think that the one who claims my death is a complete idiot! How far your foolishness go?_"

"_Then my foolishness shall be your demise._" The Prince took hold of the hilt of his sword.

"_Ahaha. Hilarous! Do you really think a stupid man can defeat me? With a mere sword?_" Making a fool of the Prince, she swung her wand to demonstrate her power as a three thunderclaps roared on the stage. "_You cannot win against me! HahahaHAhaHAhaaa!_"

Akashi gave a sidelong look to them. The confrontation time drew near. The public was already aware of it as their excitement began to fill the gymnasium with noises.

"_We shall see, dear Witch._"

[_Undeterred by the dangers, the Prince challenged the Witch to a death battle._]

All the conditions were set to add relief to this simple school play.

Akashi exhaled deeply slowly drawing his sword out of its sheath. On this suspenseful movement, he sent a gaze to Ritsu.

"Asaka. Why don't we spice up the play? The quality of the play leaves a lot to be desired. "

He brandished his sword in direction of the perplexe Witch. "_On guard._"

Ritsu slightly gaped in surprise. "What do you mea―Aah?!"

Akashi shot toward her without any warning and struck a sudden blow that she barely managed to block with her wand. Her hands tremored under the pressure of his sword as Akashi pressed heavy handedly the blade against the baton. While trying to resist the blow, she bore a wild look on her face, having the slightest clue about what was happening.

"A-A-Akashi-kun...!" Without letting her breath, he charged again. Ritsu clenched her teeth at his incoming sight, clutching the magic wand that spared her to get sliced by him right from the beginning. "What are you―Wooh!"

She blocked his swift hit, then in a fraction of a second he followed up with a serie of strikes. Ritsu barely kept up his pace as his strikes were essentially directed at her weak spots, each more fierce than the last. Akashi's edge pounded on Ritsu's wand that still resisted despite the brute force. At the last impact he let the sword briefly slide along the long wand before he raised it up causing the girl to lift her arms as his sword broke away from her solid guard. This left almost her upper body wide open which was exactly what he aimed for. Just after the trick, he immediatly attacked from the her left side by dealing an horizontal slash. He was confident on this one, yet the girl succeeded in avoiding it as she pulled her stomach in and recoiled by reflex.

A little smile crept into his lips. But it wasn't over. Right after the previous strike, Akashi adjusted his stance then he took advantage of the moment she staggered to attack with a quick charge. He rushed and thrusted his sword toward her head. Ritsu froze momentarily when she saw the sharp tip of the blade going crazily straight at her face. Her head ducked in the nick of time, giving a sidelong glance at the thin edge of the sword who almost ran through her head.

"T-That's very dangerous...! Y-Y-Y-You deliberately aimed for the head!?" She shot back in a low voice as the blade grazed her ear and removed the black hood off her head. "H-H-Have you gone mad, Akashi-kun?!"

By the great agitation in the gymnasium, his plan worked just as planned. He got everyone attention.

He backed away and regained his initial stance. The thrill caused his lips to stretch into a smile. His choice was the right one, a thrilling duel scene was what this play needed to raise its quality. Ritsu made a perfect accomplice to keep the public in suspense. He knew from the start that Ritsu would meet his expectation, only her in the class could sustain his last-minute improvisation.

Akashi waited a few seconds for the girl to recollect herself. She needed it. Her arms were still slightly shaking certainly due to the after effect of the several consecutive blows while she glared at him without stirring an eyelash, trying to figure out what had gotten into him. Everyone would have been in same the shocking state if they were assaulted out of nowhere. However, he thought Ritsu would have been able to keep a hold of herself quicker than anybody else, which turned out to be a slight miscalculation from his part. By the look of things, confusion got the better of her. Yet it was only a «slight» miscalculation. Even if she didn't seem to be aware of it, her reaction time was quite excellent as expected. Her instinct was fairly keen and her strengh was relatively good to not easily fail at the first hit. The delay between his next strikes and her blocks was extremely short. Sometimes she barely made it, as she was one second late, he would have dealt to her a painful blow. In any case, hadn't she be able to protect herself from the start, she would had been on the floor by now.

Ready to battle again, he adjusted his stance making Ritsu flinched to his great surprise. Both of them looked into each other's eyes. At that moment, Akashi was taken aback by the girl blank face. He didn't read any shred of excitement nor amusement from her expression. Not even a faint smile of joy. Ritsu was too shocked to even enjoy the moment. And that fact slightly turned him off. He disliked the idea of being the only one to be thrilled. Because there was actually no fun in playing with someone who didn't share the same feeling. And if she wasn't enjoying, it meant he had messed up.

It was his mistake so he held the responsability to fix it. Akashi relaxed his body and let out a sigh. For the time being, he decided to slow down the pace. No need to urge things, Ritsu would be able to calm down this way.

"My bad. I got a bit carried away." He said, conscious he had had maybe gone a little overboard against her.

"You-You...What?! S-Something is definetely wrong with you!"

Upon hearing the public agitation, he tightened his grip around the hilt in preparation of his next attack. He couldn't wait any longer, the play had to go on.

"Asaka, pull yourself together. Your face is way too tensed for the play." Ritsu frowned at his last comment.

"...L-Look at yourself before talking...! I had almost seen death...!" In spite of her confused state, she still responded quickly. This spontaneity brought a genuine smile upon his lips.

"That's how the Witch ends, Asaka. So, shall we continue?"

* * *

The clashing sounds of the Prince's sword and the Witch's wand kept the whole public in suspense and also the backstage. Behind the curtain, Honda's gaze were stuck on the stage where the duel scene was actually being played.

"What are they doing?! They don't even follow the choregraphy they rehearsed!" Himeno's silouhette popped behind her and leaned on Honda's right shoulder to peep at her prince. "Why don't we stop them?"

"How can I stop such a vibrant scene! Look at the public! They are all absorbed in their play!" enthused Honda with sparkling eyes. It was like the battle she imagined when writting the script had come into life. "Aaah! I thank God for chosing Akashi as the Prince and Asaka as the Witch!"

"That's true. Their duel is kind of amazing to watch. It is nothing like the rehearsals...surprinsingly. I never thought Akashi-kun would go for an improvisation." topped Yoshiwara who had joined the backstage team in the middle of the play. The glasses girl stood beside the two girls and watched Ritsu wobbled after avoiding a swift thrust of the Prince. "But still, he isn't going easy on Asaka-san, is he? She can't do anything."

"Man, that guy got no compassion. Poor Asaka." The Old Man huffed, rubbing the back of his head. "She manages well against him though. At her place, I would have already been sent to the nurse office!"

"I think all of us would have." added Yoshiwara chuckling at his jest. "Even so, it's rather strange to see those two quiet characters fighting each other. They're like different characters, it's kind of refreshing. For instance, I never would have thought Asaka could be this good. In class, she looks so ordinary."

The Old Man agreed in a nod shifting his attention to the stage. "Yep, she's shining on the stage. She's a nice girl but I like her that way. She looks more natural."

"I think so too." Yoshiwara reajusted her glasses and couldn't help but chuckled before the Prince and the Witch's duel. "Those two are truly shining on the stage. Honestly, at this rate, they're going to end up as the stars of the play."

"Both of them do understand what «epic» means! Yaaaah~ Thanks to them, the play will be a big success!" chirped Honda wriggling oddly. "I want to hug them!"

"What?! That can't be! Asaka is only a minor role compared to him and me! It has to be ME beside Akashi-kyun...kun." scowled Himeno as she pursed her lips.

"Himeno." She turned her head at her name and the Old Man flicked her forehead. "Don't open your mouth. You're going to be disliked by your «Akashi-kyun».

Before she could say another word, Yoshiwara covered the bloody-minded princess's mouth in exasperation.

* * *

Ritsu slid to the side in order to avoid vertical slash, then with an agile twist of the wrist he shifted the blade straight at her and flung forwards, stretching his sword-wielding arm to strike her which she ducked it rather easily compared to his first assault.

They broke away and she casted a curious glance at Akashi. When she thought back of his previous assault, she couldn't anticipate any of his attacks, overwhelmed by his pressure. His reaction time was completely insane, she just had less than a second to defend herself from his ferocious attacks. But as of now...

"A...Akashi-kun, did you slow down your pace?..." The boy bored his eyes into hers.

"You noticed. Good, you finally came back to your senses."

His movements seemed to be slightly delayed. Akashi waited exactly two seconds after every strikes. It was derisory put like that, yet those two second intervals set a new pace that she could keep up after getting used to it. Without knowing it, the confusion she felt earlier gradually dissipated as the «slow» pace helped her to recollect herself a bit. She still didn't grasp the whole situation, but she was sure Akashi wouldn't try to slice her on a whim. At least she hoped so. Resting her pair of eyes on him, she wondered what his friend was currently thinking.

At her inner question, the blazing prince's form sprung to her right side. Both their weapons clashed together in a lound sound. Face to face, she cluched tightly on the wand to withstand his strengh. Although he delayed his movements, she could not say the same thing about his strengh. His aggressive strikes were hard to block, so when she had the occasion she preferred to avoid his swift slashes instead of dealing with them. Her arms got slightly numb by the consecutive attacks.

"How do you feel?" Akashi asked as he faced her while exerting pressure on the wand.

"You think now is the right time to iddle chat...!" retorted Ritsu, having a painful time to keep her balance against his power. "I'm on the verge of being cut and this battle is too one-sided! I can't do anything...!"

Akashi couldn't help but crack a smile and Ritsu sighed heavily at that sight, unsure on how to interprete this gentle reaction. "Then it is about time you attack. This duel will lose its interest if you stay only on the defensive, Asaka."

Ritsu flicked at the public whose comments burst forth, bustling the gymnasium that was silent a while ago. Enthused by the play, she could hear some kids and students cheering up for the Prince by urging him to slay her down while others wanted more of the show. Their response wouldn't have been so zealous without the natural charisma and the dexterous swordplay of the Prince. They were really into their battle. But to her humble opinion, she could hardly call that a «battle». She couldn't even put up a proper fight against Akashi. It was like facing a fencing expert at full power. She stood a piddling chance to land a blow on him but as she locked her gray-blue eyes onto his gaze, she couldn't let him down. Close to his face, his excitement was reflected upon his clear red orbs. Akashi was genuinely enjoying himself on this very stage. Amused by the thought, her strained face finally let appear smile causing the boy to slacken his pressure and heard him uttering : "This expression suits you better."

The Prince broke loose from the Witch and backed away from a good meters of her, waiting in a fencing position.

"_You are awfully quiet, dear Witch. Did my sword manage to confound the mighty creature you are?_"

Ritsu exhaled deeply and clenched firmly on the wand. It was her last appearance in the play, so it was certainly the time to make things flashy to the public eyes, and particulary to his — Akashi's. She would prove herself to be worthy of him.

"_I admit your swordplay has impressed me. I shall praise your effort._"She straightened her back and held her head high. "_However, this won't be enough to bring me down._"

"_If not, you wouldn't live up to your reputation, dear Witch. Shall we have a fair fight?_"

"_I shall grant you that honor, foolish man. I shall show you my true power. _"

The public immediately ceased all talks as they watched the Prince and the Witch's silouhettes bolting toward each other to the center of the stage. The sword and the wand clashed together in a brief sound, showing the brutality of their respective hits.

Ritsu didn't leave Akashi exerted his strengh. If she let him set his pace, it was over for her. As she pushed back his sword up above them right after their weapons crossed together, she used the moment he was unguarded by lifting briskly the bottom end of the wand to hit him on the side. But despite her quickness, Akashi stepped back just in time, put down his sword below his waist and instantly riposted by using the short delay after her previous attack. Dealing an ascending slash, Ritsu couldn't completely duck his incoming blade. She felt the hard edge, slicing her shoulder up to her head when a faint sound clinked to their ears at the contact of her hair. The sword took with it the hairpin fixed on her hair.

Akashi and Ritsu broke away from each other. A large strand of hair softly grazed the cheek of her bare face as the tip of the blade partially undid the side braid that was wrapped around her low bun. During this brief break, Ritsu realised stupidly that if it had a be a real sword, she would have lost her left arm, a part of her ear and get a new hairstyle. Akashi had taken again his initial pace, she could forget the two secondes intervals. But it worked perfectly fine with her. That guy was almost cute when he was in that transcendent state.

"Lucky for me, it's not a real sword or else I would have say goodbye to my hair."

"Indeed, it would have been a shame to have such beautiful hair being cut."

She laughed lightly before she charged in direction of Akashi, hammering him with a heavy blow that he guarded. Yet she hit him so vigourously that his friend staggered and stunned a bit. In her momentum, the girl attacked him without rest, not caring where she hit. The aim was to make him unable to strike back and land a single blow when he least expected it. And it was about time. Ritsu tricked him by delibarately feinting an ascending attack when she was actually preparing her next blow by holding her wand above her and stroke him violently as he was sliding to avoid the tricky hit. Akashi gasped at the sight of the blistering wand coming down, but his instinct kicked in and in a quick motion he placed the sword before him grasping tighlty the hilt and the end of the blade. A fraction of a second later, the violent shock made his whole body tremored. Face to face, Ritsu was pleased by her feat. She caught him off-guard and the astounded expression on his face was priceless.

"Thanks for the compliment. I don't intend to cut them though." She declared stretching a large grin as she got the upper-hand on him for once. "What do you think?"

"...Mid-long hair suits you, but maybe letting them grow a bit longer would actually be nice on you. Girls with long hair are pretty." He answered with a strained smile, gathering his strengh to resist her pressure.

"I'll remember it for the Friendship quizz contest then."

"I'm counting on you."

Suddenly Akashi pulled his sword away and stepped aside causing her to lose her balance. Ritsu ducked down as his blade ripped through the air just above her. At this moment she leaped on him thrusting her staff straight at him. Akashi deviated the blow as the wand rasped against the blade. Instead of moving away, she shoved the bottom end of the wand against him, rendering unable to guard as the opposite tip slipped over the sword and keep pressing it against his chest when she turned over the position of her wand by placing horizontally. She pushed him back in order to make him unsteady, and after a twirl of her baton, she seized firmly the bottom edge and swung it upwards. Because of her swift motion, Akashi only had the time to move slightly his head in the right to duck her blow. But she managed to remove the feathered tricorn off his head that flew off the stage. Ritsu immediately retreated, using the instant to catch her breath.

"Now we're even."

Akashi shot a thrilled smile as he came forth.

* * *

"What are those two idiots doing? They have been fighting for more than seven minutes now." Midorima broke the silence among the colorful bunch while keeping his full attention to the duel.

"It's been seven minutes already? I didn't even realise it." noticed Aomine as he was engrossed into the fighting scene. "Are you complaining, Midorima?"

"No. I must say that compared to the other scenes that one is the best so far. Akashi and Asaka are acting fairly well. Their fight is very realistic to the point I'm wondering if..."

"...They aren't actually fighting for real, right?" Momoi finished his sentence which made her chuckle.

Midorima nodded quietly to her hunch."You're having the same feeling, Momoi?"

"Hm, yeah. Those two are pretty intense for a simple festival play." The pink haired girl scrutinized her friend on stage whom hairstyle was completely messed up by the fight and didn't seem to care about it as her full attention was drawn by him whose blade kept whistling by the quickness of its wielder. "Their movements are too quick and smooth for being acted."

"Yep, they're moving on instinct." added Aomine grinning. "That's why it looks so natural and fun to watch."

"Aka-chin and Asa-chin look like their having fun too." observed Murasakibara fidgeting on his chair as he had eaten up all his snacks at the beginning of the confrontation. "They are smiling."

"That's true...His eyes has this warm glow. Akashi-kun smiling so enthusiastically is rare, but it's good to see that he has so much fun." A big smile grew on Momoi's rosy lips.

Murasakibara felt the same and glimpsed at the ash blond girl who spinned after a close evade and countered with her staff . "Asa-chin is doing well against him."

"Indeed. Her good reactions and her fast faculty to adapt are allowing her to respond quickly enough to Akashi's attacks. The wild pace of their fight is only due to that fact." explained calmly Midorima as he pushed his glasses up his nose bridge.

"Yeah, I noticed it when we played basketball together weeks ago." Aomine said and laughed up when he recalled the instant.

"Asa-chin knows how to play basketball?"

"Er, she knows the basics. But her moves are rather clumsy and predictable." He answered casually tilting vaguely his head.

"A novice in short." Midorima threw him a sidelong glance.

"Yep, she really doesn't know how to play it. She never scored a basket against me. That was fun to play with her though. She get used to my pace quicker than other novices. I should ask her to play with me some other time."

"Let me know when! I'm really curious about it!" chirped Momoi as she watched the Prince and the the Witch separating themselves. "Tehehe...It's nice to have Asaka-chan opening herself up."

* * *

Ritsu panted, out of breath, just from a few minutes of fighting. She peeked at Akashi who also seemed strained by the mad battle. When one attacked, the other either guarded or riposted in a split second and that went on with neither of the two giving in. So inevitably, this took a toll on her. She never focused her mind so intensely and for such a long period of time. seven minutes or maybe more seemed short, but it was a real feat for her to last in that transe condition.

No matter how long she tried to catch her breath, it was useless. Her whole body felt heavy, the wand in her hands seemed to weigh more than usual; at her limit, she couldn't possibly continue like that.

Yet, she braced herself at the sight of Akashi bursting forth. Synchronizing with his movement, she halted desperately his tracks by dealing the first attack as a caution that the blazing prince deviated easily by a sword counter. Passing through, Ritsu recoiled from him but Akashi took her by surprise and made a quick lunge to the ribs. Ritsu stooped and winced in pain when she felt the tip of his blade stabbed deeply her flesh. That was a clean hit.

Akashi returned to a fencing stance and took a glimpse at the public. The gymnasium was dead silent.

"...This duel has lasted long enough... Asaka, let's end this. "

"...T-That's fine by me. W-We can't...go on eternally...Aaah..."

Despite the pain, Ritsu raised up leaning on the wand, and prepared herself for the decisive battle. She had to keep fighting till the end, that was how every fight should end – Without regret.

They both looked onto each other's eyes and began their last dance.

Akashi ran up to her like the wind and darted his sword back and forth, making his blade whistling by the fierceness of his strikes. Against that, Ritsu guarded herself the best she could and waited for the perfect moment to evade which came earlier than expected. As he was thrusting the sword to her, the edge passed just before her eyes while she leaped to his side, about to jolt him with a blow; but the instant she lifted her arms, the stabbing pain on the ribs destabilized her and weakened the grip she had on the staff. Akashi lowered himself to delay the moment of impact and guarded himself.

However, Ritsu could hardly put any pressure on him, the exhaustion and the pain made her lose concentration. Akashi certainly noticed it as he sprung, shoving fiercely his sword forwards to free himself. She staggered back leaving herself momentarily unguarded as the wand remained only on her right hand. At the thought of guarding herself, a clear cut disarmed her from the staff that crashed on the wooden stage; and in a one motion, Akashi took a step back to reajust his stance by placing the sword alonside his eyes, then he bolted toward her who was left bare-handed against the killing blade that flew at her. It was over yet her arms fought back one last time feeling the cold blade grazing the palms of her hands that closed up in a vain attempt of stopping it.

He dealt her the coup de grace.

Ritsu was taken aback by the death blow, grabbing desesperately the blade that pierced her under the left arm near the heart. Her wide-opened eyes fixed in shock Akashi, his last two movements were incredibly quick. Scarcely had she had the time to notice that he had disarmed her, he was already lunging at her.

And she wasn't the only one to be amazed by this, this action alone rendered the entire public speecheless, helding their breath at the scene climax. Their flabbergasted gaze kept watching the frozen image of the Prince and the Witch's silouhettes united together as the sharp blade pierced her heart.

It was really the end.

Akashi looked up to her with a solemn expression. "Your lines, Asaka."

His words made five seconds to reach the brain. Then she suddenly broke apart him.

"_C-C-Cur-Curse...you...! I-I-I...curse you...!_" She stammered as she faked a stab in the heart. "_H-H-How dare...you...Y-You...d-d-damn man...! I can't...die like THIS..._"

And the Witch collapsed on the floor. The Prince lowered his sword and looked at the lifeless body as the light stage dimmed and the curtains slowly closed at the scene end.

[_After a long and tiring battle, the Witch was slayed by the valiant Prince._]

Behind the curtains, Ritsu sighed in relief, but she was so tired that when she tried to stand up, her legs felt numb and she remained awkwardly on the floor. The effet of the rush of adrenaline that pushed her to the limit began to fade and left her helpless.

"You put up a good fight." Akashi reached out his hand that she gladly accepted.

"Aaaah...You really put your heart in everything you do, aren't you? I can barely stand by your fault..." Ritsu replied in a chuckle as she got on her two feet with his help.

Then they headed for the backstage where an overenthusiastic fury welcomed them. Honda was hugging both of them together or rather crushing them in her embrace while their other classmates gathered up around them.

"My Prince, my Witch! You were P-E-R-F-E-C-T! Aaaaah, I can't stop hugging you!" Despite her small body, Honda had unbelievably strong arms. All the three were glued together making it hard to breath. Akashi's body was pressed against her, they were sticked so close to one another that sometimes she could feel his soft hair brushed her right cheek causing to fluster because of the proximity. "My heart beated so fast during the whole scene. But the moment the Prince pierced the Witch's heart...I could almost cry! "

"Okay, okay... If you want to praise them, do it when you're not trying to kill them." said the Old Man as he pulled the small braid girl by the collar. "Look, Asaka is on the verge of collapsing for real. You're okay?"

Free from Honda's arms, Ritsu breathed in and out deeply. "Sort of. I-I just need some time to recollect myself...I think I'll go sit for a while..."

"Here, drink this, you two. After that intense battle, it'll do you good." Yoshiwara held two bottles of fresh water out the both of them who gladly took it. "Honestly, look at you, you're completely soaked in sweat. You went completely mad on the stage."

"Aha...it can't be helped. A fight without sweat wouldn't be a real one..." Ritsu laughed it off as she wiped herself with a towel that a classmate brought to them, and then undid her bun totally dishevelled.

"Ooooooh, Asaka, my lovely Witch! Only you can dance with the Prince in that way!" exclaimed Honda as she looked at her with sparkling eyes.

"...You're exagerrating. If Akashi-kun hadn't spare me some time to let me catch my breath, I would have been on the floor during the very first minutes of the duel."

"What, he did that? You mean all the times you seperate before attacking? Asked the Old Man incredulous.

Too tired to explain, Ritsu nod with a vague tilt of the head. She was referring to his pace but likely only her could be aware of it. She met Akashi's eyes and smiled at him. Well, this would be a little secret between the Prince and the Witch.

"Okay, we'll talk later! It's time for the final scene!" Yoshiwara clapped her hands. "We'll end this play on a high note, guys!"

Everyone cheered enthusiastically. Himeno skipped on the dark stage and lay on the bed flower while everyone stared at her with apprehension.

"Your princess is waiting for you, Akashi-kun." jested lightly Ritsu, staring at the fresh Princess who waved madly at the backstage team to let they know, impatient to start the last scene. When her was dripped in sweat and drained by the unique moment.

Akashi threw a nonchalant glance at her.

"Don't look like that, Akashi! After a crazy fight, the sweet lips of a girl is the best reward!" chirped the Old Man as he elbowed the Prince. "Isn't that right, Asaka?"

Ritsu perked her head up, having the two boys staring at her. "Eh...? Eer...maybe. I'm not exactly the right person you should ask. As a girl...my opinion is slightly...ah, different though..."

"You sound really tired. Whatever! Akashi, spare a thought for all of us, we who can't taste the sweet lips of a girl." All the guys nodded seriously. "You're really lucky! Even if it's with Himeno."

"...Is that so?" The Prince gave a last glance at the Witch who sent him off with a vague sign of the hand.

Ritsu rested her gaze on him while he turned his back on her, ready to shine one last time under the spotlight. As he stepped on the stage without her, she came to realise this was truly the end of their «dance». All the emotions that merged with that single instant, all the sensations that made her whole body vibrate with passion, and all his attention that brought the best of her, filled her whole being. Both her simple mind and heart could not control the sudden flow of emotions that she had locked away to focus only the fight. It was too much, it overwhelmed her litteraly. Ritsu suddenly cracked up all alone under the bewildered gaze of her classmates. It was the only way for her to ease that fast-beating heart from all this strange overflowing emotions.

Because she only realised now that it was the very first time her heart had skipped that way.

* * *

_That was intense! _

_Aha...that chapter was a real challenge for me. All those action scene (there are not much though) was really difficult to imagine and to write. I'm sorry if it's a bit messy, description is really not my forte._

_Even so, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did when I wrote Akashi's scene even though he didn't act like a prince charming!_

_But I'm kind of sad because the next chapter will be the conclusion of the very loooooong~ Festival Arc._

_Thank you very much for reading my story and for all your kind reviews! It means a lot to me! Really!_

_Feel free to leave some review!_

_See you soon!_

_By the way, if you're interested, here the two songs that help me to write the Play chapters: Ballad of the Goddess (zelda games) and The opera – Maria and Draco, distant worlds (FF games)_


	26. An epic love story (4)

_Hello, guys!_

_Here's the new chapter! I'm sorry for the late update! Since I catch up all the chapters I had already written, well, my updates will become irregular from now on, but don't worry normally I'll post a chapter within two weeks or less (and not more, because it even makes me crazy to wait so long) depends on my inspiration for the chapter._

_Anyway, in the previous chapter, I said this would be the end of the Festival Arc but I underestimated the Festival power! So it will go on for one more chapter! Aha to tell you the truth, I only wrote the Play chapters for Akashi and Asaka's duel, so I never thought hard on the kissing scene and what follows._

_So for this chapter, I kind of went with the flow! (and in my opinion, it's really a weird one)_

_Enough talk! Good reading and see how the end of the play unfold~!_

* * *

Hidden behind the curtain, Akashi closed his strained eyes in wait. He did as usual, that is to say his very best. He wouldn't allow himself to do something as unsightly as half-measure, this was a second nature in him. One had to put everything they got to be at the top. Therefore it was so natural and rather easy for him to do so, that he couldn't fully understand this feeling of awe others had whenever he did his best.

And yet as natural and easy as it was, this duel had left him completely spent. How rare for him to go to such lenghts and felt so much thrill in just one fleeting moment. The tremors of the battle still ran through his body, his heart couldn't stop beating in excitement forcing him to stay on his two feets while his mind was somewhat overexerted by the long concentration span and urged him to rest. No matter how he thought about it, he completely lost himself in the duel; how strange it sounded, he let his heart commanded his actions. The only ones who could bring him that much fun was his basketball teammates. Their fair and strong mind were what he truly respected about them. And that quality also lay in her – Ritsu, a soft-hearted friend to everyone's eyes and a humble girl to his eyes. That was why he liked her.

Akashi reopened his eyes facing the dark stage. Truthfully, he could almost laugh at his impetuous behaviour during the fight. The emotional turmoil had likely messed with his mind, and he wasn't the sole one to be in that similar post-transe condition as a faintly audible laugh softened his weary face. Ritsu completely lost it.

The curtain opened slowly and a spolight shone upon him, revealing the Prince's flamboyant form one last time.

[_The Prince crossed the castle and saw three glows darting around him. Those lights were the fairies._]

On the dark scene, another spotlight illuminated the three skyblue fairies bowing in front of the Prince.

"_My lord! You're safe! Our prayers has reached you!_" exclaimed the fairy on the left.

"_So the Witch has fallen under your sword. How tragic._" The fairy on the middle closed her eyes compassionately. "_Yet, your victory was the only miracle we could hope for. We are truly indebted to you, my lord. Thanks to you, we can step again in this castle so dear to our heart._"

"_She won't be a threat anymore. Your land has been freed from the Witch's ruling, dear fairies._"

"_Not yet, my lord!_" outcried the fairy on the right. "_The Witch may have died but the curse has not been lifted. The Princess is still sleeping._"

"_The only way to undo the curse is a true act of love. With your pure heart, this land shall return to its past glory._"

"_Love, you say?_"

"_Yes, love. When you'll see the princess, follow your heart my lord. You'll understand._"

"_Now_, h_urry to her, my lord! Our princess awaits you in the highest room of the castle._" The three fairies backed away while keeping their head low.

The light faded out, letting the fairies to leave the stage.

[_Reaching the highest room of the castle, the Prince saw the Princess' dormant silhouette lain on a flower bed._]

Akashi advanced near the bed flower and rested on the side of the bed flower observing Himeno.

[At_ the Princess' side, the Prince was struck by her beauty. It was exactly as the tale said. She was divine._]

Up close and at first glance, he couldn't deny the fair beauty of the raven haired girl. Yet it was a pity that her beautiful sleeping face was ruined by excitment. The corner of her mouth was twitching as she forced herself not to reflex smiling, and her closed eyes were squeezed tightly making her entire face contort in a rather odd way.

Following the script, Akashi brushed her cheek with his fingertips witnessing the girl's face suddenly turned bright red. Now her lips were trembling in impatience.

"_How angelic she is. I have never met purest beauty in the whole world. How can a beautiful angel possibly sleep so peacefully when a curse locks her heart away? I shall awake you, my princess._" The Prince grazed the black hair of the Princess letting a long strand of hair slipped on his fingers and laid a faint kiss upon it. As he continued his acting, the bright red princess jolted screwing her face up. "_My heart cannot bear such a harrowing sight. Is that what the fairies told me? That feeling, is that love? My princess. An angel shouldn't close her pure eyes, but let a smile rise upon those soft lips..._"

Akashi braced himself and bent over Himeno as his face steadily met hers.

* * *

As the Prince's lips drew closer to the sleeping Princess, Momoi was completely rapt into the love scene, holding her breath till the two silouhettes formed one. She couldn't help but stared intensely at the blazing prince laying a kiss upon the slumbering princess. The chastity of this scene touched her straight to her maiden's heart that dreamed of sharing a kiss with the one she loved. Her fast-throbbing wouldn't stop hitting her chest, wishing that the day she find love everything would be just as magical and simple as that moment.

"Oh, he did it." Aomine muttered in a very casual tone that didn't grasp the solemn mood of the scene.

Sadly, Momoi came down to earth whose mood got ruined by her awfully dense friend comment.

"Can't you read the mood!" yelled a frustrated Momoi at Aomine who raised an eyebrow, wondering why he was being scolded all of a sudden. He sent a enquiring gaze at Midorima and Murasakibara who ignored him for their own's sake, they didn't want to be dragged in a strange conversation.

"What mood?" The tanned boy asked cluelessly causing the pink haired girl to rub her nose bridge in a exasperated manner and breath a long heavy sigh. But she couldn't win against his genuine face and that dense character of his. It was like water off duck's back to him. Obviously, Aomine couldn't grasp something as subtile as this. He was so oblivious that Momoi was getting a bit worry about him. In sports, he managed well, but for other things it was hard to actually rely on him. "Even if he's the prince, it's just Akashi kissing a girl."

"Even so...it's the most important scene!"

"How so? For me Akashi and Asaka's fight was way more stunning than this crap. I bet that guy's thinking the same." He shot, looking up at the Prince who raised up after the kiss.

"Don't call it _crap_! How can you be so indifferent before a romantic scene!"

"Romantic?! You call that love? The dude randomly fell in love and kissed a random princess!"

"That's called love at first sight!"

"That's bullshit!"

"... Maybe but it's every girl's dream! You could at least feel something from it, you heartless ganguro! " She replied back to make him understand a girl's heart for his own good.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Aomine yelped at the insult while she puffed her cheeks and ignored him looking the other way. " Why are you so worked up? You have your peri–"

The foul-mouthed boy went too far. Momoi reacted instantly as she hit him in the stomach with her elbow causing her childhood friend to stoop in pain.

"I'm done talking to you!"

"Tch...! Do what you want! Like I want to talk with a ugly face. I'm out of here. The play is over anyway." Pissed off, Aomine clicked his tongue and leaped to his feet without minding the racket he was causing as he headed to the exit. Momoi glimpsed at him with one eye but didn't stop him from leaving.

"Mine-chin is really an idiot." Murasakibara said nonchalantly as he watched the boy's casual form disappeared behind the door.

"He's beyond help." The glasses boy sighed and threw a glance at the pink manager who already seemed to regret her words. Downhearted, she was cluctching her skirt, facing blankly at the ground. "Don't mind him. Aomine is an idiot, he'll forget soon."

"Yep, he can't stay angry with Momo-chin very long. But..."

As the two boys tried to cheer her up, Momoi raised her face and nodded with a little smile. It was as they said. They quarrelled time to time but it never lasted long. Even if she always was the one who made the first step to make up, he never rejected her and kept his usual easy-going attitude.

"What Mine-chin said is true...This scene is very boring. Aka-chin just said flat lines and kissed her."

"Yes, that was...a bit anti-climatic." Midorima commented without much interest as he expected something more «epic» for the final act. "And the sight of Akashi kissing that princess is unsettling. In my opinion, it could have been a pleasant scene if it weren't for the lingering bad impression of the Princess."

"It's stupid. Whether it's her or another girl, this scene would still be boring. I don't understand why it's supposed to be interesting." Murasakibara yawned heavily and rubbed the corner of his eyes. "The story should have ended at the fighting scene."

"That wouldn't be a love story if it had ended at that moment, Murasakibara." The giant boy ignored the green haired boy's glare. There was no difference for him though.

Momoi perferred to add nothing more, still having regret for taking it out on Aomine when he sadly wasn't a special case regarding love matter. Murasakibara was on the same level without much surprise. Dejected again, her gaze returned to the stage as they suddenly flashed opened and blinked by what just happened on the stage.

* * *

His lips parted from the Princess and returned to his sitting stance waiting the girl to awake in a delicate manner as it was written in the script. But her eyes flew opened, and like a robot she sat up straight on the raised flower bed.

"_What, I was having a beautiful dream...Oh, my! You're the young man of my dream!_" She exclaimed in a high-pitched voice to show her surprise. "_Why are you here? Oh! I remember I was wandering in the castle and that old hag was doing something with a spindle. When I played with it, I suddenly felt sleepy!_"

She took Akashi's left hand and rubbed her cheek on his palm as she continued her improvisation.

"_I was dreaming about a ugly witch who tried to kill me. It was a nightmare! But a shining prince came to save me by killing her._" She faked sobbing. "_And you look exactly as the one in my dream!_ _You came to save me, right? That's why you are here, my prince!_"

Himeno suddenly eyed him up, looking straight at his incredulous red eyes. Akashi was in disbelief before such a special case as her. This scene was supposed to be the grand finale yet her improvised lines destroyed the whole magic of the final scene. Everything went well until she opened her eyes. He couldn't believe his ears as she had, with just few lines, wasted all his efforts with Ritsu in bringing the play to its climax. All those strong emotions that had born in the public's heart during the fight were now a distant memory after witnessing her acting.

"_My lovely prince, t-there is something I want to tell you! Something I long to say to you since the first time I saw you...I...I..._" Himeno stammered shyly, clutching her chest.

In spite of the fatigue, his brain worked at full blast sensing that if he didn't do something now this play would truly end up as a comical show which was not the case. In respect for Honda who had spent days in writting the script, he would do something before...

"..._I've always loved you!_"

Absent-minded for a couple of seconds, Akashi didn't sense the princess springing to embrace him. When her form flew to him, his dulled senses didn't react in time to stop her. Sitting on the bed edge, he couldn't support himself at the violent contact with the princess' flying body, and so her rash move made him lose his balance. As they fell off the bed, a thud suddenly echoed in the gymnasium and a death silence ensued. In a flash, the Prince and the Princess had disappeared behind the flower bed under the dazed gaze of the public that was once again rendered speechless at the Princess' performance.

Akashi winced when his back slammed hard on the wooden stage with the princess' heavy body on him that added more to his torment. Stunned by the impact, he looked blankly at the ceiling lying flatly on the floor. How unsightly was the first thought that leapt into his mind. He fell in front of everyone during the final act. Had he overestimated his own limit was the second thought that followed. Despite the exhaustion, he thought he could go on without trouble till the end and yet he didn't see coming the Princess' stupid move. Would he even be able to do something to save this play after such pathetic sight of himself was the third thought that made him realise how weak he could become at times. Flat on the floor, he could hardly find a suitable solution to the mess he caused by letting himself dragged by the Princess.

"Akashi-kun! Did you get hurt?" flapped Himeno as she was still over him, not really hasty to move away.

As he sat up, he met her eyes who continued to look straight at him which kind of irritated him. He was well aware she was genuinely worried about him but as his mind showed some flaws, his heart got the upper-hand this time.

"Himeno-san, tell me. Why didn't you follow the script?" He asked curtly.

A gasp escaped from the raven haired girl becoming red as tomato.

"Because if I did, I wouldn't be able to confess to you, dummy!" Akashi knitted his brows to the nonsense she spouted.

"We are on stage. Couldn't that wait after the play?"

"No! The stage is the best place to express feelings!" She told him, gripping his white jacket. "And I think fate is on our side!"

"You're making no sense at all. What fate has to do with your improvisation?"

"During the role distribution! It was fate that brought us together! So that our love could finally bloom on this stage! Even if we didn't–"

"Himeno-san, I would ask you to refrain yourself from taking this stage as an outlet for your personal desire. I won't tolerate any further your self-centered behavior." Having his plan thwarthed for such incoherent and egoistical reason and being pushed down on the floor didn't help him in keeping a cool head as his patience ran low. "Are you realising this play is everybody's work and not yours alone? Your feelings are being a nuisance for everybody including me. Right now, they do not have their place on this stage."

The red haired boy locked eyes with the girl who was utterly shocked.

"Wh-What are you saying, Akashi-kun? You don't care about my...feelings?" Himeno stammered as she clenched his white jacket more tightly.

"I made myself clear enough. Or must I repeat myself?"

"...Akashi-kun...? I knew that there was a possibility for you to reject me, but...but...you didn't have to put it that way! Y-You're being cold...! I-I..."

Akashi raised a brow. He wasn't being cold but rational. Wasn't that normal for someone to bring somebody into the line when it went against everybody's interest? He couldn't understand why he was qualified as cold when he cared for the play success. His forthright words told her exactly what he expected of her so why didn't she understand her role on this stage.

He heaved a sigh which made Himeno averting her eyes in frustration.

"_M-My child! You are awake!_" bellowed the King in a hesitant manner who dashed on the stage with the Queen and the three fairies at Honda's order.

"_A miracle! That's a miracle, my King!_" The Queen said her lines eyeing strangely the two of them on the floor.

"_Fatheeeer, motheeeer...!_" Without looking at Akashi, Himeno leaped to her feet, ran in direction of the Queen and hugged her suddenly to everyone's surprise. The Queen herself didn't know how to react to Himeno's strange behaviour and glimpsed at the blazing Prince who was getting on his two feet, his back on them. He turned and bespoke the group to continue with their acting.

"_P-Princess...! M-My dear child!... How glad I am to see you again!_" She put her arms around the princess and patted her head giving an inquiring look at the King and the fairies. "_If the fairies hadn't put us all in a deep slumber, I could not have seen you ever again, my luminous child._"

One of the fairies advanced and inclined her head before Her majesty. "_Please forgive us for our selfish action. We couldn't bear the sight of our majesties grieved by the Princess' deep sleep._" Then the two others did the same.

"_Raise your heads, dear fairies. Without your kind souls, this Kingdom would have been lost forever. As the Queen said, we are indebted to all of you. We could not have lived this day if it weren't for you._" The King pleaded the three fairies who bowed gratefully before they turned to the Prince.

"_Then, there is another person your majesties should be grateful to. This young prince had triumphed over the Witch in order to save this land. His pure heart is the miracle that awoke the Princess._"

"_I see._" The King approached the Prince and before him, he slightly bowed his head putting his right head on the chest. "_Your bravery knows no bound, Prince. You defeated the Witch who ruled mercilessly upon on our land. Prince, our Kingdom shall be indebted to you. But how can I, the King of a fallen Kingdom, be even able to repay this debt?_"

"_I may ask you for the hand of your daughter. Let me marry her. That's all I ask for._" At the Prince's answer, the King laughed heartily and patted his shoulder.

"_My, determination and honesty are qualities I highly regard in someone. Alas, the decision is not mine, if my daughter do not approve of you. I cannot let my most beautiful treasure in the hand of someone who can't appreciate her value!_" After his emotional tirade, the King took a heroic stance, placing himself three-quarters on to the public and giving him a solemn image.

"_You are a rightful king. Now, I understand the fair beauty of the Princess._"

"_My luminous child! What is your answer to our savior?_" The King exclaimed wholeheartedly.

The Princess swung around and outstared the Prince but she was the first one to drop eyes.

"..._He is my soulmate, father. How can I refuse him? I love him the moment I opened my eyes. He was perfect._"

"_My dear child, you have made your_ – WHAT? That's aaaaaall!?" The King was surprised by how smoothly this scene was going. Since the beginning of the play, he was so used to hear the Princess acting in a exuberant manner, he expected a Himeno-like ending, that is to say a Princess madly in love with the Prince, ready to cuddle him up just as she attempted few minutes ago, forgetting about all since Akashi was the only person who truly mattered to her. And yet, since the beginning of the play, Himeno had said the Princess' lines for the very first time which came as a shock not only for him but also the Queen and the three fairies who gaped awkwardly.

He casted a glance at Himeno who shrugged him off and then he shifted his gaze to Akashi; the latter didn't seem trouble by her quiet behavior finding the situation perfectly normal.

"..._I shall love her. You have my words._" Akashi immediately followed up and sent a look to the narrator behind the curtain instructing to end this play right this instant. There was nothing more he could do to end this mess.

[_Err...T-The fate that tied those two souls together was marked by the Prince's vow. Their pure love was the true miracle that shone upon this land. And so later, they got married and lived happily ever after. The end._]

The lights faded out slowly letting the public engraved this last scene in their heart.

Meanwhile, Akashi and his classmates awaited silently complete darkness to leave the stage. During that moment, the King snuck up his way to him, folded his arm around his neck and clasped his head to him.

"Oi, Akashi, did Himeno fall on her head or what? After you both fell, she acted oddly."

"What do you mean by odd? This is what she had to do from the start. But I praise her effort, she did well at the end." The two boys stared at the Princess' back who forced herself to talk with the others girls.

"She did well, my ass! Damn, Akashi, did Asaka wreck your head? We're talking about Himeno! " He hollered to his ear. "She never listens to anyone and only cares about her! Knowing her, the final act was not supposed to end like this!"

"What were you expecting exactly?"

"Dunno! Maybe she'd have fly into your arms and try to kiss you again! We all know Himeno is obsessed with you. So, we kind of all expected an ending like that." clarified the King rubbing the nape of his neck, then a huge grin showed all his teeth. "Guess, that'd be a nightmare for you to have a crazy girl going after your lips. It'd have awesome to see though! Oh, talking about kisses, how was the taste of Himeno's lips? You kissed her, right?"

Akashi gave a sidelong look to his curious classmate before the light faded out completely.

"Himeno's reaction is the answer to your question."

"Don't give me that crap, Aka–"

Ignoring him, the Prince made his way off the stage. In the backstage, his classmates gathered around the two stars of the play.

"Akashi-kun! You're alright?"

"It looked quite painful when you fell."

"And Himeno tried to attack you, didn't she? You two were pretty close." A girl joked while she was pushing Akashi in a friendly way.

"Yeah, you nearly knocked him out on the floor! What would have happened if the Prince was out cold during the final act?" Another tossed in, stirring on purpose the strangely quiet Princess who was staying behind Akashi, avoiding any direct contact with him.

"It wasn't my intention. "

"Who are you trying to fool, Himeno? It was the perfect occasion!" brushed it off a girl.

"Are you all deaf? I said it wasn't my intention! I'm not that obsessed with Akashi-kun!" Everyone went silent when the raven haired girl shouted in protest. All were baffled, they were used to hear Himeno fawning over Akashi but as of now, she seemed to keep her distance with him which was very disturbing for the whole class.

"We are aware of it. In fact, I should apologise for this pitiful sight of myself to you, Himeno-san and you all as well. If I had grabbed hold of you, this play would have known a better ending. My apologies."

Once again, the silence took place awkwardly. When he turned to face Himeno, the latter immediately avoided his gaze with a light flush on her cheeks seemingly still upset about what happened on the stage. Akashi stared at her for a while and then looked away with little concern.

"Aha. No need to be so formal! No one's putting the blame on anyone." chuckled Yoshiwara glacing at both of them. "Admittedly, the play ended as it is, but we all had fun doing it. Overall I kind of like it. Thanks to the Princess and Prince's improvisations, this play has a unique feel to it. At least, everyone will talk about it for a while at school. Don't you think Honda?"

The braids girl agreed wholeheartedly. She didn't care about the evident gap between her script and the actual play. For her, its magic resided in everyone's heart. It wasn't exactly what she had hoped for her play but the result was quite enjoyable.

"Yay! But I have one question for you two." Honda came closer, grinning widely at them. "If you two behave so strangely, does that mean the confession went well?"

At the question, Akashi stared blankly at the all smile scriptwriter who dared to ask the question that the whole class was wondering.

"Himeno can't even look at you and you spoke up for her when we teased her. Did love bloom on the stage?"

Their classmates brought them together and laughed as they were awaiting a reaction of the two supposed lovebirds. Akashi didn't utter a word, expecting a certain princess to bristle their claims which she did when their fingertips touched.

Embarrassed, she slightly pushed him away causing all their classmates' mouthes to curve into large grins. "D-Don't be stupid! My confession...was part of my improvisation! You're all so simple-minded to be completely taken in! It only proves my superb acting skills!...It was only improvisation..."

His classmates exchanged confounded looks, she wasn't the usual haughty and hyped Himeno. At the start of the play she was glued to Akashi and now she was avoiding him like the plague. Something was off.

As the backstage quieted down, Akashi studied all his classmates' concerned expression but there were two faces he didn't find among them.

"...Now's not the time to look gloomy! It's high time for the curtain call! Is everyone here?"

"Wait! Asaka is still not back and Sudo went to find her!" said a boy of the backstage team. Yoshiwara sighed in exasperation and had everyone wait for their return.

"Did something happen?"

"W-Well, while you were on the stage, she just couldn't stop laughting and decided to cool her head off outside. But it's been a while now." Yoshiwara explained quickly, then examined amusingly his Prince appearance. "You have a strange effect on girls in that costume, Akashi-kun."

* * *

Benting down over the outside sink, Ritsu splashed water all over her face letting droplets dripped on her blissful expression. Under this hot weather, cold water was exactly what she needed to forget all about the tiredness and the emotional turmoil that occured inside her. She didn't expect the whole duel thing to be so impassioned. She never felt this weird, this exhausted and this happy to be fighting with someone. It was even sad that it had ended. Akashi's unrestrained behavior and his wild expression – She wanted to see more of it. She liked his placid nature, but the Akashi with whom she shared this ephemeral moment with was the one who set a heart aflame. His crimson eyes seemed to blaze into life, glinting with the purest enjoyment while impulses suppressed any inhibited reactions, indulging himself in freedom as nothing else mattered but the two of them. Recalling this image, her heart started throbbing again with greater intensity. She sighed inwardly as her chaotic heart had yet to completely settle down. Ignoring those strange beats, she splashed water on her face again.

Refreshed, she turned off the faucet and reached the towel on the edge of the sink. After wiping her face, she heard some loud cheers from the athletic track where duos of students were dashing furiously to the finishing line. At the sight, she wondered how the play was going and more specifically how Akashi was doing on the stage. She was lucky to be the Witch since it was her last appaerance but she couldn't say the same to him who was left unable to rest despite the nerve-wracking duel. When the curtain closed, he looked rather spent by the fight, so she was a bit concerned about him. Even if, obviously, everything would go smoothly for him. A guy like him couldn't possibly display any hint of weakness.

Ritsu smiled faintly. Right this moment, he was certainly awakening the Princess with a kiss.

Dragging her heavy body away the sink, she had to return before the end of the play. But Aomine's sturdy form flashed before her. She tumbled while her tanned friend caught her by the hand stopping her from falling.

"Asaka?"

"Aomine-kun!"

"You're not watching the end of the play?" They queried in unison as they were staring each other out of countenance.

"...I needed some fresh air. Akashi-kun didn't spare me as you saw it." She chuckled, thanking him for catching her.

"Yeah, that was one heck of a fight. Too bad you had to die!"

"I'd rather say : fortunately I had to die. Had we continue a bit longer and I wouldn't be here to talk to you. He really hit me hard whenever he could."

"Well, Akashi isn't known for compassion." stated Aomine rubbing the nape of his neck with a casual look. "I can't complain about it though, that's what makes that fellow strong."

"I can't deny it. My whole body is sore and hurt." His last lunge on the ribs kept hurting her when she moved around. Under the black dress, she bet that spot was covered with a bad bruise. "Luckily tomorrow, I can rest since it's the school foundation day!..."

"You'd better. Instead of a witch, you're more like ghost!" The navy haired boy flicked her on the head, beaming a radiant smile.

"If you say so, then I manage to make it flashy to your eyes." muttered Ritsu, satisfied with herself. She had to have an ghastly look on her face but she cared the least, this was the proof of her determination.

"After challenging Akashi, you could only make it flashy, Asaka! You should have beat the crap out of him! That would have been awesome!"

She laughed heartily at Aomine's earnest demeanor. There was no greater reward for her effort than his spirited words. Because, it only assured her she was on the right track to prove herself to them, and like so keeping her promise.

"The Prince has to win."

"Too bad, huh? I'd have paid just to see that."

"Aha, in any case, I couldn't have won against him. You saw like anybody else how insanely quick his last assault was while I had no strengh left."

"You're just lacking stamina, that's all!" He yawped, putting his hands on the back of his head.

"You make it so simple!"

"Because there's nothing complicated in it! If you begin to overthink about things, you lose!"

"Sounds like your motto, Aomine-kun!"

She was teasing him, but his words spoke the truth. By keeping things to the simplest way, one's mind became the sharpest.

"But it only proves your strength." She affirmed with a soft smile, facing the tanned boy who boldly stretched out his fist in front of her.

"You're not bad yourself too!" Both of them laughed as their fist bumped together.

Aomine was truly someone she looked up. He was the simplest yet his light was most certainly the brighest among the four.

"Well, I should probably go back to the play. They must be at the end now." The clamor on the track field reminded her duty. She had to hurry herself, she couldn't make everyone wait on her for the curtain call. "Let's go, Aomine-kun."

"Na, go alone. I'll go grab some food." Aomine said as he averted his eyes. Ritsu stared at him curiously. Come to think of it, he didn't tell her why he was wandering all alone while the play was still ongoing.

"Something happened?"

"Nothing important. I just don't care about the last scene." He heaved a sigh and began to walk on the opposite way of the gymnasium.

"Really? You're missing something. This is the most touching and beautiful scene of the play."

Aomine suddenly stopped in his track and turned around, locking eyes with her who tilted her head innocently. He was slightly baffled by her words, it sounded almost weird to his ears.

"Ah, right, you're a girl too..." He remarked plainly scratching the back of his head.

Her eyebrow twitched at his silly observation. "To date, yes, I'm a girl and will ever be. Why do you sound so disappointed?..."

"I just forgot about that fact."

"Beg my pardon?!" She countered in a surprise manner. "What exactly are you thinking of me?"

"Don't freak like that! I'm just saying I think of you differently!" He shot back awkwardly. "You're not like others girls who get flustered over everything and yap all day long about crappy girly things! You don't care about appearance or–"

"To be short, you think of me as your buddy." His bluntness was appreciated but she couldn't bear to hear more. Strictly speaking, it wasn't the best compliment a girl could get.

"...In short, yeah. But truth to be say, I consider you more as a worthy match than a girl. Like the others of the basketball club, I know I can count on you for a good game."

"That's an honor, but next time be more tactful, Aomine-kun. I'm proud of being a girl, so when you put it so bluntly, it's a bit of an offense." She laughed it off, happy to know how Aomine felt about her. "However, I reckon your way of thinking. In that kind of relationship, gender doesn't make any difference. Sport is all about competition, right?"

Her declaration brought a broad smile upon Aomine's face. Unyielding spirit was what he liked about a person.

"Anyway, what has made you notice my maiden heart?" She asked in a jest. Now that Aomine told her his feelings, she was even more stirred up by curiosity.

"...It surprises me to know you like those kind of mushy things. I can't imagine you all sparkly in front of a stupid love scene."

"I'm a healthy girl. I can't stay indifferent to genuine displays of love. Love should be fully appreciated." Ritsu replied calmly, wondering how this weird idea even crossed his mind. "By the way, why are you saying that?"

Aomine's suddenly tensed up, emitting a faint groan. "Satsuki nagged me about it and got all worked up by herself."

"You certainly had said something she didn't like."

"What exactly?"

"That's what you have to tell me. I can't read mind."

"Whatever. I don't care about that ugly face. She's none of my concern now!"

Ritsu gasped at the ugly face part. Seemingly, Aomine and Momoi had quarrelled.

"Aomine-kun, turn this way." As he did, she pinched his cheeks and pulled them hard. The boy scowled, bawled some incomprehensible words, and put both his hands on her wrists to pull them away. "It is not nice to treat your childhood friend like that!"

"Achsaka, whadjch dje hewll a' you djouing?! Ledj gow oow mwee! Dwamn idjt!"

"I'll teach you some manners! Don't address a girl like that! Didn't I just tell you to be more tactful?" She stretched them even more, screwing up the poor boy face.

"Whyah a' you gwettching woork'd upch tchoo?! Whyah shoudj ai cuare abwat djat?!"

"I don't understand a thing you say. I hope you're not being rude." Being mocked, her tanned friend got all riled up. He tugged forcefully her hands and freed himself from her grasp.

"Asaka, you tightass! Mind your own business!" He snapped, rubbing his swollen red cheeks that itched in pain.

"Chill out! I was just teasing you. I'm unsure of what happened between you two but it's no excuse to be so rude to Momoi-chan. You should have more consideration toward her. Good-natured girls like her are difficult to find."

"Tch...! Good-natured, my ass! She got angry all of a sudden and then hit me! Anyhow I don't want to see–"

"Asakaaaaa! Here you are!"

The Old Man's silhouette burst into their view, running at full throttle toward them. Near them, he removed the bushy long beard, too hot to keep it because of the summer heat.

"Sudo-san! Don't tell me the play as already ended?"

"Almost! We have to go back now." He replied, straightening his back facing them happily. As he stood up, his eyes met Aomine's and Sudo grinned.

"Hey, Aomine! What's up? You're not watching the end of the play?"

"How do you know I was there?" The tanned boy wondered cluelessly.

"After the uproar you caused with Himeno, it was easy to spot you! Ah, just to warn you, careful of Akashi! That guy looked pretty uptight back there!"

A chill ran down his spine, Aomine pressed his lips with apprehension as he kind of sensed that outcome coming. There was no way that fellow wouldn't recognize his voice or whatsoever. His brain began to work at full blast in order to find an escape to a forthcoming punishment. Like hell he wanted to be punished for something he never intended to do. In fact, Midorima and him would certainly be playing basketball if that nasty Princess didn't draw more attention to them. After a short reflexion span, his simple-minded brain could only find this best solution of all : avoid Akashi for the rest of the festival and wait for him to let it slide. It was a pain to find something more elaborate. Before then, some clutz would certainly do the trick in deviating his attention by doing far worst than he did.

"Maybe you're the reason he took his anger out on Asaka." Fooling around, the Old Man stretched out his arms and waited for his classmate to fly into his arms. "Poor you! Come here, grand-pa will comfort you."

"Akashi-kun is not that inconsiderate." She tittered, moving back as the mischievous Old Man approached to hug her.

"Ahah, who knows how his brain works?" He jested then lowered his arms and folded them, scanning the clueless teenagers. "But you both really missed something crazy out there!"

"If it's about the kiss, I'm not interested."

"No-no-no-no, I'm not referring to that!"

Ritsu sent an inquiring gaze to Aomine who shrugged his shoulders, obviously ignorant of what Sudo was talking about. Curious, the two of them directed their eyes to the latter seemingly very impatient to tell them this crazy thing as all his teeth were shown with his broad smile.

"Himeno pushed Akashi down! They both fell on the stage! The Princess on top of the Prince, you hear that? " roared the boy with laughter.

Ritsu and Aomine couldn't come up with a decent reaction. Their minds went blank for a couple of seconds. Akashi Seijūrō fell, the commanding vice-capitain of the basketball fell, their respectable friend fell, he fell... Those unconceivable thoughts looped over and over in their heads. It sounded so unreal that they wondered seriously if they didn't misheard anything.

"Look at your faces! The public was the same! "

"No way! Even I didn't manage to knock him down in the Haunted House!" She blundered out under the influence of emotion.

"Yaah, Himeno brought off something big! Ah?! What did you just say, Asaka?! Y-You tried to – WHAAAAT to Akashi?!" bawled Sudo confounded in his turn. "What did that freak do to have two cute girls trying to pin him on the floor?!"

She gasped, realising what she just revealed and then began to laugh nervously. She flipped her embarrassed look to Aomine. The poor guy was even more shocked by those two surreal revelations.

"...No, I misspoke...Don't imagine weird things." She said, trying to fix the misunderstanding. "I fell in the Haunted House and he happened to be behind me, but he kind of managed to stand while I was flat on the floor..."

The two boys fell silent, making her understand that she failed in her explanation. She gave a long and tired sigh, there was no point in dwelling on the subject instead they had to hurry to the backstage.

"...Sudo-san, we have to go. We're going to make everyone wait."

The boy snapped out of his daze and scampered to her who was already on her way to the gymnasium. Ritsu waved at Aomine who did the same back and began to walk in their opposite way.

"Aaaah...feel so sleepy. That festival thing is even more tiring than practice!" Aomine muttered to himself as he yawned widely. Then, hands in his pockets, he headed nonchalantly to the food stalls at the main entrance.

* * *

"You have a strange effect on girls in that costume, Akashi-kun."

That being said, the backdoor was smashed open, startling everyone in the backstage.

"We're back! Did you miss me?" shouted vigorously Sudo, posing like a hero but he got no reaction. At the lack of enthusiasm, he scanned the whole place and noticed the perplexed looks of his classmates. "Uwa, why it's so gloomy here? It's almost the end! We have to celebrate, you morons!"

"Sudo-san! Asaka-san! What took you so long?" Yoshiwara who was talking with Akashi ran up to Sudo and sighted Ritsu just behind him staring in a daze the door.

"For someone who's late, you're too loud!" The Queen joined them and cracked the boy's head with his walking stick.

"Ouch...! It's all Asaka's fault!"

"Yeah, yeah." Yoshiwara brushed it off. The curtain call was the priority, minor talks could wait after it. "Since you're all here! All the actors gather to the stage! Hurry! We can't let the public wait any longer!"

At Yoshiwara's order, all the actors lined up on the stage and bowed under the clamor and applauses of the public. In spite of few mishapes, the play was highly acclaimed by the public who cheered fervently the actors' performances. And then Honda, the scriptwriter, was forced out on the stage as she staggered before one of the Fairy who helped to get on her two feets. A bit nervous, the braids girl stood awkwardly in the same spot near the curtain, waving and smiling at the whole public. Yoshiwara who had pushed the nervous girl onto the stage urged the fairy to bring her to the middle of the stage where she was supposed to be. As the scriptwriter, the curtain call was her moment of glory. So, to help the girl, the Fairy pushed her lightly to the other Fairy beside her who did the same. And so on, the scriptwriter reached the center after being pushed by each of the lined up actors in her way. In the middle of the stage, she was waited by the Prince who reached out his hand to her. She put her shaky hand upon his, and was pulled gently toward him, placed right in front of the public. Before such a scene, her heart was bursting out of emotion. Gathering up her courage, she breathed in and out deeply and then shouted across gymnasium :

"Thank you very much for coming watching our play! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!"

The public cheers became stronger and all of the actors bowed one last time before they all disappeared in their turn in the backstage.

[_This concludes the play «The Sleeping Beauty» of class 1-A. We will now have a ten-minute recess before the next performance. If you are leaving the gymnasium, please do not forget your belongings_.]

On the backstage, everyone sighed in relief as all the pressure finally went down. Happy, sad or relieved – the play was now over. While some laughed at their fresh memories of it, others kided around or teased Honda for a shy appearance in spite her exuberant character, enjoying their moment of glory since they soon had to leave the backstage that they filled with all sorts of emotions during the whole play.

For class 1-A, this play was like their own festival. And now it was truly over.

* * *

After they cleared out the backstage for the next class, the troup scattered around the gymnasium, congratulated by relatives or friends. Among the crowd, Ritsu sneaked away peering at the same time at some tender scenes between her classmates and the public. Honda was suddenly lift up into the air by some boys, including the King and Sudo, all scolded by Yoshiwara. As they continued, the latter sighed lightly but smiled at the enthusiastic display and joined all the boys in their fun cheered by others classmates and students.

When she finally seperated from the crowd, she heaved a sigh and overheard some girls chirping about the play and how the Prince was fabulous. Himeno was in that group, and well, after the final act she could only brag about it with her friends. But during the brief time she observed the Princess, her evading responses and reserved demeanor caught her attention. This situation was quite odd knowing the haughty character she was, and this was even more strange that she wasn't stick to Akashi right this instant boasting about their magnificient performance together and stirring on the jealousy of others girls.

Thinking of him, she didn't get past girls fawning over the Prince, the star of the play. She looked around quickly but no sign of him among the crowd. She then turned her gaze to the rest of the compound and spotted the redhead quietly walking away from the gymnasium.

As she went up to him, she called out his name making the latter looked up at her.

"You're not staying with the others?"

"And you? The Prince's presence is more important than the Witch's."

"I finished my part. The rest is up to Honda-san and Yoshiwara-san." Akashi stared out at their classmates fooling around the crowd. "My presence is not required anymore. As the scriptwriter, Honda-san deserves to reap the reward of her labor. The backstage staff alike. While we, actors, have no longer a purpose to remain."

His words marked their return to reality. Now, they were no longer antagonists, but two friends who had shared the same transient moment which was the play. A shred of sadness left her with a lump in my throat, nevertheless she felt no regret about it.

«_Moments that only happened once are those we cherish for a lifetime._» was it? Ritsu couldn't help but smile softly at him. Maybe, he wasn't wrong. This play was unique in itself.

"I'll miss your Prince's look though. I'm kind of fond of it. I'm saying it now since I didn't get a chance to do it before." She admitted in a cheerful tone, making Akashi reveal a little smile on the corner of his mouth.

"You're being surprisingly frank, Asaka."

"That's because I have almost met death thanks to you." Teasing him a bit, she contemplated a last time his majestic outward appearance. As her gray-blue eyes looked up to his face, she could discern some hints of tiredness on his placid expression. Like she guessed, the grueling left both of them spent.

"So, how did the final act go?" Despite her concern about his condition, she preferred to ask about the play, without mentioning his weary features, thinking it would have been rather inappropriate. And maybe he would give an answer without her being nosy.

"As it must have ended." Akashi replied curtly as he resumed his track.

"With some minor mishaps." She added more to his obvious answer.

Gazing at his back, she saw him perked his head up and moved it slightly to the side. "You heard about it?"

"Sudo-san told me." She came to his side as he stood quiet. Taking his silence as an answer, she wouldn't ask more. His point of view on the subject was something he couldn't possibly brag on. In the same situation, who could anyway?

In his case, this matter had hurt his pride, and she couldn't see the point in rubbing salt into his wounds. As a prideful and respectable boy, falling was already the greatest shame.

The two of them walking down on the courtyard, she looked back at their classmates still playing around in front of the gymnasium, shouting some loud «hoorays», without noticing their missing presences. But at this happy scenery, she sighted a pinkish silhouette separating herself from the group, sneaking off to the main building.

"By the way, Akashi-kun, did something happened to Himeno-san? She seems off." She noted, following with her eyes their haughty classmate walking all alone.

"Why are you asking?"

"She's not glued to you and I don't hear her bragging about the kissing scene nor do I hear her usual shrilly voice." She glimpsed at him who didn't seem affected about her behaviour. "Are you to blame?"

Akashi threw a sidelong look at her when accused. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't brush it off like that. You're being cold."

"Still, I don't understand." He insisted in a curt tone causing Ritsu to furrow faintly her brows in anger. "I just made her conscious of her role in the play. Therefore, I do think your accusation is uncalled for, especially when you hardly witnessed anything, Asaka."

Ritsu paused and cleared her mind. She swallowed back all the pending remarks that leaped on her mind, conscious that the moment anger supplanted reason, she would lose against him, and like so lose her chance to know the real story.

"...And so, what did you tell her?" She asked with a little hint of displeasure.

"That her feelings for me do not belong to the stage."

"She confessed to you...on the stage?" Her scowl face suddenly changed to a stunned expression.

"I do not act on impulse. You should be aware of it by now."

"And you rejected her with those very same words? That's pretty cold."

They looked into each other's eyes, then Akashi shifted his gaze forwards.

"This is the part I do not understand. My actions were all for the sake of the play. It is the truth that her feelings do not have a place on the stage. Yet, it doesn't mean I deny her feelings. Had she waited for the end of the play or find me later to confess I would have listened to her. But from her reaction, I assume she didn't grasp the meaning of my words. Well, if she doesn't get it, there is actually nothing for me to do about it. I don't need to bother myself with her if she gave up so easily. It only shows how far her feelings goes, proving her determination is weak afterall."

Ritsu slowed down her pace as the redhead got past her. Instead of cold, tactless would have been a suitable word to define his course of action. Considering Akashi's character, she could absolutely understand his desire to make this play a great success, but from her point of view some tact would certainly not have cause harm to anybody. His words devoid of sympathy and tact would crush anybody's hope. Even she partially approved of his concern for the play, she could only sympathize with Himeno in silence. She couldn't possibly be able to reason Akashi as his mind was cleared out of any shades of doubt and regret.

His back on her, he was really cold nonetheless. As always...

At that displeasant sight, she leaped to him, covered his eyes with her right hand and pulled his head gently against her, letting rest the back of his head on her right shoulder.

"You say that but you kissed her, didn't you?" She inquired as she kept her hand upon his eyes to avoid any menacing gaze.

Contrary to what she expected, he remained strangely calm in spite of her foolish move.

"Did you?"

"...I leave it to your imagination. You can only blame yourself for not being there."

"Because a certain person decided on his own to spice up the play. But it was fun." She laughed as the redhead didn't move a inch from his awkward position. "You know, Akashi-kun, if you don't struggle a little, I won't let you go."

"Fine by me. However, I assume you'll take full responsability for your actions. I refuse to deal later with any rumors concerning ourselves due to your thoughtless move."

At his uncute response, she grunted faintly and let him go.

"You won."

Free from her grasp, he turned to her, glanced and then smirked which kind of annoyed the girl for a brief moment as his stern expression had softened.

* * *

_That was one hell of a chapter! My brain can't think straight now!_

_So, in your opinion, did Akashi kiss the Princess? I wonder. _

_Aha! Well, the next chapter WILL trully be the last one of the Festival Arc._

_To **Doujin-Maker** : Thank you for your all your reviews for my almost every chapters! You don't know how happy it makes me!_

_To **Xhre** : I never cease to thank you but hey you're one of the very first to have follow my story, so here we go again! Our love for a certain redhead is our bond!_

_To **amy1945** : I don't know how to show you my gratitude except saying thank you! These are pale words compared to your support who truly inspire me in writing! I'm glad you love Asaka and hope it will continue!_

_To **Sera** : Ahaha! Thank you so much! When I read your version of the duel end, I was like OMG HE KISSED HER! (How I long for the day those two will be a couple!) I totally love it!_

_To **pinkus-pyon** : Thank you very much! Don't worry there will come a day when Asaka play a basketball match! Not exactly as you think but yeah she will play it again._

_And I could go on for every one of you who reviewed my story but it'll take too long. So to you all who support me, thank you so much for your reviews and for reading till this chapter without dropping it! I really appreciate it!_

_So, feel free to leave some reviews!_

_And see you soon!_


	27. Festival end (1)

_Hello, guys!_

_Here the two last installments of the festival arc. Two because it was too long and was forced to cut it. Apparently, I still had things to say about it...It's like this festival doesn't want to end! But don't worry. It's really over._

_Next time, I'll take up the usual pace of the story, that is to say that I won't spend damn TWELVE chapters for just one day..._

_So, good reading~_

* * *

Lost in the crowd, Momoi narrowed her eyes burned by sunlight and rubbed them. Her vision blurried, she blinked several times, trying to figure out the black shape of a witch and the immaculate form of a prince amidst the crowd. In her daze a huge shadow was casted upon her from behind. She flipped round and met the chest of her giant friend who didn't budge a inch as he was looking at the crowd with glazed eyes, slightly narrowed because of the light. That was until a fluorescent orange fly swat scratched his left arm provoking a frown on his nonchalant face. The purplehead glared at Midorima who returned his gaze silently, then bored by this glaring contest, he ignored him.

"Aaah, it's hot..." complained Murasakibara, currently craving for an ice cream as the wet air drained all his strength.

"Murasakibara-kun, do you see Akashi-kun and Asaka-chan?" Momoi was standing on tip-toe while she beheld the crowd without much result.

"Na, there's too much people."

"Really? What about Midorin?"

"I don't see them either." Midorima stated, watching a girl with braids lifted in the air by a bunch of boisterous guys. All of them were the classmates of their two friends. He scanned briefly people out there, noticing the Princess among a group of girls, the Queen and the three fairies getting praised by outsiders and those who played extra parts were chattering here and there; but as his green eyes finished to check the whole crowd, the Witch and the Prince were missing on the picture. "If Murasakibara doesn't spot them, then they must have moved somewhere else."

Murasakibara nodded, his long legs finally pulled up from the ground and started to make his way among the crowd, driving the other two to follow him. The tumult behind them and their view cleared, Momoi ran down the school courtyard once again, but noticing the two boys giving up on the search as they were moving on to the main entrance, she called out to them.

"Where are you going both?"

"Buy an ice cream. You don't want to eat one?" replied innocently the purple haired boy with a tilt of the head.

"But I want to find Akashi-kun and Asaka-chan before. It'd be nice to have all of us eat ice creams together!"

"Eh? We have to wait for everyone?...I don't want to." Murasakibara pursed his lips like a child. "That's too much trouble. Not only Asa-chin and Aka-chin are missing, but Mine-chin too."

At Aomine's mention, Momoi tittered, still troubled by their little quarrel. "H-He must be near."

"Well, we'll probably find that idiot over there." assured Midorima, directing his eyes to the food stalls. "And there's no hurry, we can find Akashi and Asaka later. They must be tired by the play. Moreover, we don't even know if they are together or –"

"They are together." Murasakibara's positive claim raised their attention. His purple eyes were stuck in the distance, he lifted his hand, pointing nonchalantly his finger at two familiar silhouettes.

Momoi let out a loud gasp, covering her mouth with both hands as she looked on the Witch hugging the Prince from behind. Witnessing from afar their intime moment, a light blush reddened her pale cheeks.

"Is she..hugging Akashi?" Midorima pressed his eyes, unsure if his bad eyesight caused him to see weird thing.

"She is..." answered Momoi in quavering voice, as stupefied as him.

"I didn't know they were this close." concluded the green haired boy, having his doubt casted away by the pink haired manager. His full attention on them, a innocent question cropped up in his mind. "Is she playing a trick on him? Look, she's laughing."

"I don't think she does. It's more like she tries to comfort him. Akashi-kun doesn't seem to bother." Without averting her eyes, she looked softly at the basketball club vice-capitain being cuddled by her ash blond friend with his eyes covered.

"There's no reason for him to be comforted. The play went well considering the miscast."

"...Hm, Aka-chin fell on the stage." recalled Murasakibara with a jaded expression.

"Why should he be bothered by that? The fault was all the Princess'."

"Ah...Or maybe he hurt his head, and Asa-chin is treating Aka-chin like a kid." Before the incrudulous eyes of his two friends, Murasakibara began to intone tonelessly a childish spell as he was lip-dubbing Ritsu's words. "«Pain. Pain. Fly away~!»...Something like this."

Midorima's hand was itching to slap him on the head with his lucky item. It was ridiculous. "In my opinion, I hardly see Akashi being happy to be teased in such outrageous way."

The giant boy shrugged without much interest, satisfied with his own idea of the situation. "Why don't we go ask him, Mido-chin?"

"I agree. Let's do that." He replied without a second thought.

The two boys walked in direction of their two friends.

"Eeeh?! Wait, wait! You can't butt in simply for «that»!" Momoi clenched both their uniforms, stopping them where they were.

"Why?" asked Midorima in a clueless voice.

"Because...er..." The girl tried to figure out a simple way to explain the situation to her dense friends, but Midorima was faster than her in responding.

"You said you wanted to see Akashi and Asaka, right? Then, we should go or they might leave."

Momoi gave out a sigh in defeat and follow the two boys who resumed their tracks while she preferred to laugh inwardly at their lack of sensitivity than going through the same trouble with Aomine. But still, she wondered where her childhood friend was, she wanted to make up with him. She let out another sigh, as always her concern went always for him.

* * *

"You won."

Ritsu's lips stretched into a reserved smile as the soft expression of the blazing Prince finally returned. He could be...no, he was quite adorable with those distinct smile of his that left bare his usual straight-laced face marked by social conventions, openly revealing an innocent and playful side of him like any teenager of his age. Ritsu laughed inwardly, this festival sure was a memory she would certainly remember her whole life, and it was especially due his presence, Akashi Seijūrō – an upright boy, and above all else a caring friend.

"It was an easy win. You surrender quite fast."

"I prefer to keep my remaining strengh for the quiz contest." She crossed her ams over her chest, contemplating his simple features shaded by tiredness. "But, we probably should rest a bit. My body is still feeling heavy!"

"If we must." Akashi brushed a messy lock of hair aside that tickled him, then looked plainly at her. "However, you should work on your stamina, Asaka."

She would consider it later, right now she was more concerned about his condition than hers. After the little break during the final act, she partially recovered her strength, in fact, they could go straight to the Friendship quiz contest. So she delibarately worsened her case to force him to rest. Compared to her, Akashi still hadn't gotten the time to breath. And she knew for a fact that if she had suggested the idea in participating in the quiz right this moment, he wouldn't have minded. Admittedly, he may have way more stamina than her and able to put up a straight front but he was still more or less affected by exhaustion. What happened on stage was suffisant to prove he needed a little break.

"Stamina or not, I take a fifteen-minutes break!" She declared as she stretched her arms. "Anyway, you can't participate in the quiz without me., unless you find some replacement."

"As I stated before, you're being surprisingly frank." He replied, fixing her with his red eyes.

"Well, I care for you as much as you do toward me, Akashi-kun. You went easy on me at some point. The two seconds interval. I should be grateful for it or I wouldn't have enjoyed myself so much! So, just take my stubborness as a thanks. You can do something as simple as this, right?"

"Do you need to thank me everytime?" He shifted his gaze away as a smirk cropped up on his lips.

"Oh, don't you dare say my concern is unnecessary or I'll get mad at you! I've had enough of hearing it."

"Eeeeh...Aka-chin is being scolded."

The two of them directed their attention to the source of the voice and met three pairs of eyes fixed on them with plain curiosity.

"I was right afterall." Murasakibara concluded with a hint of happiness, staring down Midorima who just ignored it, inconvenienced by the situation.

"It's you, guys. Do you need something from us?" Akashi asked casually, as if nothing ever happened. He noticed the greenhead glaring at him, then slowly trailing to Ritsu. The latter returned his gaze innocently, the least expecting they had witnessed the whole hugging scene.

"Yes. Actually I have a ques–" Momoi shoved her hand against his cheek, interrupting him deliberately before he would ask something very awkward. They seriously intended to ask Akashi about the hug!

"Yeah! We're here to congratulate you! It was a fantastic play!"

"Thank you." On those simple yet meaningful words, the girl offered them a radiant smile.

"It's a bit sad it's finished though..." She admitted timidly, but this shyness didn't last long as she looked up at them. "But since we're all here, why don't we go eat ice creams together? We have to celebrate this!"

Murasakibara could only be agreed with that as he responded to the suggestion with one firm nod. But Akashi asked a question that shattered his small hopes.

"Where is Aomine?" was the question. The redhead only counted three heads. A purple one, a green one and a pink one, leaving only the dark blue head out of the picture.

Embarrassed, Momoi lowered her eyes rendering Akashi perplexed as he kept staring at her in wait for a response. Aware of the cause of her nervosity, Ritsu decided to speak out to avoid her pink-haired friend any further embarrassement.

"I talked to Aomine-kun not long ago. About ten minutes ago, I think." Her statement made the pink manager to raise her head. Ritsu gave her a conniving look, bringing a shy smile on her lips. "He was heading to the food stalls. But I wonder if he is still there."

Akashi, though unaware of the situation, didn't try to meddle more into it. Upon hearing her friend's statement, Momoi smiled in relief. And it was a suffisant fact for him to leave this matter on Ritsu and his teammate's hands since they were likely aware of the current situation.

"Then, I let you all go check on him."

"You're not coming with us Aka-chin? We're talking about ice creams." Murasakibara made the remark with a frown on his face, thinking he would never get his ice cream at this rate. His reaction forced a smile out of Akashi. "We won't wait for you. There's nothing more important than ice creams."

"That's fine. Take Asaka with you since she's in her «fifteen-minutes break»." He simply said as he began to stride away. "Asaka, we'll meet up in front of the classroom event in fifteen minutes. Don't be late."

The bunch looked on the redhead quietly walking away.

"Ah! But I wanted all of us to eat ice cream." Momoi exclaimed, realising she just let go of Akashi when her main intention was to share a momentwith everyone.

"Well, it's better to leave him alone for now." Ritsu stated with a happy smile. "We can ask him again after the friendship quiz contest."

"The friendship quiz contest?" enquired Midorima about the curious event.

"An event of class 2-C. Akashi-kun and I will participate in it in fifteen minutes." She pressed thoughtfully a finger on her cheeks. "We wanted to do it before the play, but I don't know why, all of a sudden, Momoi's admirers hassled us, and we were forced to postpone it since we– Er, I had a hard time to shake them off. At least, you manage to escape from them!"

Momoi opened her mouth widely without a sound, then she darted her eyes to Midorima and shot daggers at him, the actual responsible of the mess. The latter felt uncomfortable by all the attention and looked away from her in a nervous silence.

Oblivious, Ritsu watched them when Momoi turned to her and hid this fact behind a nervous laugh.

"Why are you participating again?...With Akashi-kun, no less."

"He wants to win the chick bolster. It seems to have caught his eyes." Her smile frozen, she blinked as she tried to assimilate the information. She just heard something very funny. Akashi with a chick bolster? It sounded so ludicrous that her lips was twitching nervously.

"He's interested in...it?"

"What, isn't you who want it and drag him into your scheme, Asaka?" His brain unable to process with that weird image of Akashi, Midorima rejected the blame on her through spite.

"Actually, it's the other way round, Akashi-kun really wants it and drags me into it when I ran into him."

The green haired boy paused glaring at her then muttered faintly : "...This festival is getting weirder and weirder. I already predicted that everything would go wrong today as I almost missed Oha-Asa Horoscope this morning and arrived late at school without my lucky item..."

"That's the conclusion you get from overslepping, Midorima-kun?" Ritsu said in a half-hearted tone, wondering how exactly his logic worked. "Anyhow, let's eat ice creams together after the contest!"

Momoi nodded with some reserve. Despite the cheerful facade, she was certainly wondering if Aomine would be there with them by the time.

"Before we go search for Aomine, I better change myself. I'm covered in sweat."

"I'm going. I want my ice cream now." Impatient and very hungry, Murasakibara didn't let them react and stomped to the food stalls. "It's no fun to wait on everybody."

"Ah, wait!" exclaimed Momoi about to stop the giant who was unexpectedly followed by Midorima. "Midorin too!"

"I am thirsty. And if I may, you don't need us to get changed. We're going to check on Aomine at the food stalls for the time being, since Akashi told us to." He clarified and looked straight at Ritsu. "Fifteen minutes are short so instead of dealing with that idiot, use your break to rest yourself, Asaka."

Her lips slightly parted in surprise of his sweet attention.

"...Since it's none of your concern." He added, adjusting his glasses, and without a word he walked up to Murasakibara who was now meters away from them. Ritsu laughed a bit as he was shying away from an embarrassing moment.

As they lost sight of the two boys, both exchanged amused looks. Just as the beginning of the festival, here they were again together.

"Is it fine for you not to go along with them? They might find Aomine-kun."

Momoi shook her head in a slow motion.

"Did he sound very angry?"

"In my opinion, he was more confounded than angry. Aomine-kun didn't seem to know the exact reason of your anger." The pink-haired girl scratched her cheek with a strained smile. "And was probably more upset by that fact than against you."

"Maybe it's like you say...I hope." She declared convincing herself that her worries was baseless in spite of her uneasiness with the current situation, and she would better find a way to make-up with him. "Anyway, we have other things to think of instead of this ganguro!"

"Your face betrays your thoughts, Momoi-chan."

It was just a little tease from Ritsu. She didn't mean anything deep, instead she meant it as a compliment. She was a very honest girl, so much that her emotions was clearly perceivable by a single glance. One might take this as a flaw, but to Ritsu this was one of the best quality that could lie in a person. Honesty led one upon a simple, straight and above all else, a happy path in life. A girl like Momoi could only find happiness as long she kept this honest heart. And it was absolutely not too presumptuous from her to certify she wouldn't falter on this very road.

That was the kind of girl Momoi was. «A simple glow yet so warm».

"I-It does...?" She cringed, cupping her head with a blush.

Ritsu nodded. "If Aomine-kun sees you with this face, I highly doubt he can bear a grudge against you very long."

Her desire to mend their relationship was glinting so vividely in her pink round eyes that it was nearly impossible to actually feel a grudge toward her. Even Aomine would be receptive to such genuine intention.

"Our quarrels never last long. Whether it's him or me who's in the wrong, he never apologizes while I take all the trouble to patch up things!...And everytime he just shrugs it off and acts like usual."

"You two are almost like siblings." chirpped Ritsu. "You can't actually hate each other."

Momoi laughed lightheartedly. "Is it the same with your little brother?"

"Ah, more or less. We quarrel from time to time and it always ends in the same pattern." Her reply seemed to have aroused her friend's curiosity, certainly interested in the last part. "He sulks and I give in."

"You really have a soft spot for him."

"Kind of. Aomine-kun surely has one for you as well or he wouldn't be so casual around you. Childhood friends are really something!"

Both girls giggled together. When she looked up to her, it seemed she finally regained her usual spirit.

"Aaah!" Ritsu exhaled in relief. A festival without Momoi's smile wouldn't be so bright and merry.

"Aha, sorry Asaka-chan for troubling you with that when you're tired."

"Don't mention it! Since Midorima-kun and Murasakibara-kun went to look for Aomine-kun, I can focus on the quiz contest. And to do so, I have a favor to ask you, Momoi-chan."

The latter tilted her head in a innocent manner, looking at Ritsu who turned around and began to head to the main building.

* * *

"Eeeeh! You want me to brief you before the quiz contest!" Momoi's startled shout echoed loudly in the empty hallway.

"Yes. I can ask nobody else but you on that matter. As far as I know, you're one of the best in that field and the most familiar with the basketball club members."

"O-On Akashi-kun's datas...?"

"I need them. My knowledge of him is very restricted. So would you help me?"

"S-Sure!" The pink haired girl replied instantly. Then she looked upwards, pressing a finger on her cheek, thinking of something. "Wouldn't that be more efficient if I brief you two together about each others' datas?"

"Unfortunately, we don't have enough time for that. We only have less than ten minutes. So, we'll use the time I'm changing myself to learn more about Akashi-kun! And that way, he'll win his chick bolster!"

Likely, she was already set for the quiz constest. Momoi recognised the glint in her eyes that reminded her of Aomine's eyes burning with excitement before every games.

She hummed in a determinated way. "Akashi-kun will be very surprised by it! You really wants him to win it!"

"He kind of expects that from me when he chose me or else his choice would had been otherwise. He trusts me on that, so I'll do everything possible to help him." Her gray-blue eyes slid to Momoi's direction with a mischevious smile. "And aren't you curious to see him squeezing a chick bolster?"

"Totally! You treat him with care, Asaka-chan."

"Just as anybody else. I like you all."

"Tehehe, Akashi-kun seems to have a better treatment. I mean, you hugged him!" Momoi jerked her head forwards examinating closely Ritsu's face flushed instantly by the revelation. For a short time span, she didn't move one muscle despite the turmoil that was building up inside her.

"Oh...Ah...you saw it?" Ritsu looked upwards, tapping fingers on her chin thoughfully. So they have been seen by Momoi. And if she had witnessed it, then the other two also was in the same case. She didn't keep him in her arms very long, but still long enough to be seen. That was the worst...No, it could have been worse. They were fortunate enough that it was only them and not somebody else. "Does that count as a mark of affection?"

"Eh? Your question is weird."

"Sorry, it's just that...I don't consider my action as affectionate or whatsoever."

"When you hug someone, you're being affectionnate." said Momoi, her mouth curved up, with a hint of carefreeness in her voice. Upon seeing the slightly troubled face of her friend, she hit the side of her fist on the other hand as she deduced something out of her reaction, and stepped ahead of Ritsu boring a happy face like some child who gets happy to grasp the meaning of something they shouldn't be capable of. "Ah! Are you too embarrassed to admit you take a liking to Akashi-kun more than us?"

A pause ensued, the two girls stood frozen in place before Ritsu's footsteps drove away the silence.

"Probably, I did hug him, but something else would have worked too. For instance, making him trip or hitting him."

With hindsight, she thought of these alternatives only now. They could have been ways amongst other to get rid of that bothering feeling regarding Akashi's behavior. But after reconsidering them, compared to the hug, they were undoubtedly bad, thought the hug itself wasn't a good one either. Akashi wasn't in the best condition to allow anything even from his own friend. And yet, independently of all rationality, she held him in her arms. Out of anxiety.

In that case, could that be considerate as affection?

"You would have hit Akashi-kun! Y-You're being too casual around him. I already warn you, he is very hung-up on those kind of things..."

"I wouldn't. It was mere examples. I have too much respect for him to act like that."

"How do those ideas even cross your mind? Aside basketball members, only few people dare to take on Akashi-kun head on and act casual around him."

"To say the truth, even I was confused by my own act. But I simply couldn't stand him that way."

As a friend, she couldn't bear the idea of gazing at his back. Averting one's eyes from one's friends was the coldest act; turning one's back on one's friend was the crueslest; walking away was disregard. And that urge she felt in hugging him was certainly to avoid being ignored. This was the only logical reason she could find to define the blunt move. Recently even her was overtaken by events.

"Eh?" Brief and stamped with question was the sound that Momoi let escape upon hearing the last part.

"Momoi-chan, is Akashi-kun cold?"

"Eh?" The girl gasped once again, hinting her confused state. "W-Why the question...?..."

"I was asking myself. You know him better than I am."

"I doubt that." Momoi swung her head side to side while refuting her claim. "According to me, among all of us, you're maybe the closest to him. Our interactions with him mostly concerned basketball so aside it we don't speak that much together. In that aspect, you're a better friend to him than we are..."

"Don't put it like that. Akashi-kun can't think so lowly of you. That idea surely wouldn't even cross his mind. He may not speak fondly of friendship and such or get all friendly with everyone, but he does have esteem for those around him. The way he sticks around you people of the basketball club shows that much. Well, that's the impression I have of him when I see him hang around you guys."

"That's a very cute view of Akashi-kun..."

"Well, to me, he is a rather cute guy...At heart. I put aside his way of thinking, it's beyond me. He may be small but he thinks and acts quite fast, too fast for everybody to actually even know how he can reach weird conclusion! Oh, that reminds of a rule a senpai of the volleyball team said to explain us not to underestimate our opponents!" Ritsu cleared her throat and was imitating the senpai's voice and manner. "«Instead of giants, better watch out of everything small because the smaller they are, the more vicious they turn. Every small things are vicious to the core. They might not bite but can be very dangerous as you're unknown of what they might to do you since they don't bare their fangs! They can do a lot worst!», or something like that. Do you think that apply to Akashi-kun?"

The innoncent question threw Momoi into a fit of laughter. She laughed so hard that she stooped, placing her hands over the belly, filling the silent corridor with a sweet merry voice.

"W-W-What image do you have of him...?" S-She managed to say, wiping a tears in the corner of her eyes.

"A good one. I resume it like that : When you look at his back, you're admiring; when you look him in the eyes, you're aknowledged; and when you look at «him», you're watching over him. Quite simple, is it?"

While Momoi tried to figure out the meaning, still being in a hilarous state, Ritsu slid the door of the girl changing room open and stepped in with the latter by her side.

"At some point, we all are–"

Ritsu interrupted herself as faint sobs drew their attention to the small back of a pinkish silhouette that was sat down near a desk on the middle row of the classroom, seemingly crying. Momoi, who had stopped laughting upon hearing the sobs, sent a curious look to Ritsu, wondering why the Princess was crying.

"Himeno-san." She called her out, causing the girl to cut short her snivel as she just sniffled back all the mucus in her nose and wiped the tears hastily, then she turned to the two girls who barged in.

"W-What, don't you see I'm busy?..." She whimpered, glowering at them.

"Busy in crying?" Himeno folded her arms over the chest and in a contemptuous move of the head, giving them petty attention as she refused to spare them a look and also closed her eyes.

In spite of her tear-stained face, she was still remaining a hard character to deal with. However, in this kind of situation, Ritsu cared less about her attitude. Her wariness was understandable, even her wouldn't have liked to be caught up crying, especially after suffering rejection.

"If you have nothing to do here, just get the hell out!" She barked, irritated by their silence and their stupid gaze. "I'm sure you're here to laugh at me!"

"You're wrong. It's the last thing that would come to my mind now."

All of a sudden, the raven haired girl raised from her chair making it slammed abruptly against the desk behind. She swung around and looking daggers both of them who gawked awkwardly, which made the blood rush to her head.

"Like I can believe this! You two have already Akashi-kun's favor, you hypocritical bimbos! As if you'd care a little about my broken heart!"

"In a sense, you asked for it." replied Ritsu in a plain voice. "You went too far on the stage."

"Ah! I knew it! You're showing your true self, Asaka!"

"I'm just stating the fact. Akashi-kun didn't appreciate it."

"I won't listen! You're just here to brag about your close relationship with him! You must be happy to have his favor so easily and hung around with him like a stupid bee near a beautiful flower." Pained by that very fact, Himeno bit her lips while averting her eyes with bitterness. "...Toward you or that manager, Akashi-kun can't be cold...It's only to the other girls he doesn't even bother with. That's unfair! You two are unfair to be so close to him! Why you and not somebody else?!"

As Himeno gave vent her frustastion, Ritsu was silently observing the impact Akashi's «wrongdoing» had on their haughty classmate. And to say, he had a clear conscience about it while his classmate had been crushed by his words. However would he still feel that way even after seeing her crying...After considering the matter, she came to the conclusion he wouldn't have changed his attitude. Akashi said it himself, her determination was weak so her tear-stained face would have not effect on him and would only confirm his claim.

Reaching this conclusion, Ritsu pondered on his reaction, that was currently expecting nothing from Himeno, if the Princess were to know a proper ending in her festival time. Even though Himeno and her didn't have a single thing in common apart their fondness for Akashi, she still had sympathy for her. In spite of being an overly annoying, self-centered and very handful girl, she didn't deserve such a sad ending.

"Say something! Or are you actually laughing at me?"

Ritsu examined Himeno who could burst into tears at any moment now.

Moreover she didn't see what harm she could do by correcting Akashi's «wrongdoing». Being in their class, she was sure that if she didn't take this opportunity to mend those two relationship, she was already predicting a gloomy mood past the festival. So why not giving a little push to her in order to patch things up with Akashi?

"No, I'm not. But Himeno-san, are you giving up on Akashi-kun?"

"You would be happy if I do! You're a very deceitful girl, Asaka! You're pretending to be his friend when you only want to keep him for yourself! Just like that manager! She's using her position to get closer to him!"

"If you're satisfied with this image of me, go ahead and insult me. But don't speak ill of Momoi-chan. So will you give up?"

Himeno set herself against her remark.

"You're obstinate! Why should I answer you?!" She slammed violently the desk where she had been sat down. "I was rejected by him! You're happy?! He-He didn't even want to listen to my confession...! He told me I was...My feelings for him were being a nuisance...! He doesn't care at all!"

As she remembered the painful event, she clutched her skirt with bitterness.

"Even if I try again, he wouldn't listen to me...! I just know it!"

"Then why don't you to try again to be sure?"

"You're really the worst, Asaka! You're telling me to confess again when you already know he's going to reject me again!"

"That's for Akashi-kun to decide. If you don't try, you won't know."

"I just know! His eyes were very cold...! It...wasn't like him..."

At this rate, Ritsu felt it would go on forever if she didn't shake the poor girl. There was only one way to please Himeno and that was to flatter her ego. Maybe that way she would realise her genuine intention instead of being wary of any of her words like it was poison.

"Himeno-san, do you like Akashi-kun?"

"W-Why do you want to know it?! It's hilarous for you to know my feelings are one-sided...!" declared Himeno furiously. "But I tell you something, you hypocrite! I love him...! More than you or that manager or any other girls! Nobody can compete with my love for him!"

"It's a pity that he won't be able to hear it."

"I don't need your sympathy...! My love for him is real whatever you think!" She retaliated as a slight change in her tone could be noted. Her shrilly upsetting voice seemed to have come back, though it was faint as her dry sob was still tingled with a shred of sadness.

"That's what I'm saying it's a pity you give up so easily when you love him so much. In that case, you shouln't cry because of Akashi-kun but instead face him again with a smile that so particular of you and tell him «properly» your feelings." Ritsu delibarately emphasized on the word to prevent her from doing weird thing to him if she decided to confess again. No matter how kind her intention was, Himeno's happy ending only depended on herself and Akashi. "Even Akashi-kun won't stay indifferent to your determination."

"...Of course he will! I don't need you to hear that from you...! Me and him are bounded by fate, you witch! It is destiny for the Princess to end with the Prince!" She scowled, sniveling loudly while she marched toward Momoi and her. The simple reminder of her love for the redhead seemed to have lit up a faint glint of hope once again in her swollen eyes. "And all my plan was thwarted by you! It's because of you that he took it all out on me! You're the reason of my failure!"

"H-How so?" stuttered the ash blond girl, baffled by the turn of events, asking herself why she was suddenly blamed.

"You performance was only supposed to be second-rated! And yet you decided to fight back Akashi-kun and because of that you attracted the public to you only, when it was his time of glory! You stole all the glory from us!" Himeno yelled at her, frenetically poking her chest as she was accusing Ritsu of being the reason of her broken heart.

Falsely accused, the latter resisted the urge to sigh, avoiding to upset more the girl who seemed to have cheered up a little.

"But I won't let you be praised more than you deserve when your acting only depended on the Prince and my performances! I'm going to take back all the glory and Akashi-kun from you! By the end of the festival, it's you who's going to cry!"

"That's great. But try to stay simple or you'll get really disliked by Akashi-kun." Ritsu warned her, conscious of Himeno's bold character.

"Keep your advice for yourself! Even if you try being nice to me, you're still my ennemy! All the girl near him are!" The pinkish princess turned tail, walked confidently to the door when she stopped suddenly without sparing a look to the two girls. "But...Th-Thank you, Asaka..."

Startled, Ritsu didn't expect Himeno to be perceptive of her intention and above all, to be grateful toward her. When she looked at her, skipping lightly, she couldn't help but smile and hope that everything would go well for her.

Even if she was the one to cry in the end.

"Can I ask you one question, Himeno-san?"

She spinned round to face her. "If you want me to repeat my words, go to hell!"

"No, I was curious about something. Did Akashi-kun kiss you?"

Himeno narrowed her eyes suspiciously and ignored her.

"I won't tell one single thing to my ennemies! That's a secret between me and Akashi-kun!"

That being said, she skipped in direction of the exit and vanished in the hallway. Alone with Momoi, Ritsu heaved a heavy sigh.

"Asaka-chan, what was it about...?" inquired Momoi completely lost during their conversation.

"A proper ending to the play." Her friend tilted the head. "Since the Prince broke the Princess' heart. As I heard, she confessed to him on the stage and well Akashi-kun didn't very like it."

"Ah, you're talking about the moment they both fell! So that's the reason why the ending seemed a bit weird."

"Maybe, actually I wasn't there to watch it."

"Is that the moment you met Aomine-kun?"

Ritsu responded with a nod, staring at Momoi who gave a faint sigh.

"Aomine-kun and Akashi-kun won't probably be in a mood to eat ice creams with us..." She said feeling suddenly disheartened. "And to say, I want everyone to have a good memory of it! It's only once in a year!"

"I'm feeling the same. It'd be great to all of us have the same memory of this festival."

"Ah! I have an idea!" Momoi grabbed her arms and tugged them happily. "Let's take a photo together! It's the perfect souvenir!"

A photo with the whole colorful bunch was the best way to end a festival.

"If we manage to gather everyone for the photo, we can only be happy!"

Indeed, that would imply Aomine and Momoi's reconciliation. Ritsu agreed wholeheartedly to the idea. She wanted to keep this memory of the play, of every moment she shared with every one of them.

Because it only happened once.

"Before, we have to make Akashi-kun win his chick bolster! With it, he can only be happy."

Momoi giggled as she took a notebook out of her pocket, flipping its pages to reach Akashi's data. Did she always keep those with her?

"Ah! Hurry up, Asaka-chan! We only have a three minutes left!"

"O-Only three minutes?!"


	28. Festival end (2)

Making their way to the second floor, Ritsu ran ahead Momoi while taking the caution to clear the path for the latter who tried to catch up as she was carrying the big chick bolster boucing at each of her steps. They were late – eight minutes late precisely. The briefing, or rather the girl talk about Akashi's datas, made them forgot about the time as they kept commenting on some information Momoi was having doubt on. They could have kept on if they hadn't look with horror the clock that ticked away so fast. Besides all their doubts would be dissipated after the friendship quiz contest since Akashi himself would give the answers during the second round of the game.

In the distance, Ritsu and Momoi spoted a redhead looking their way with at his side Midorima and Murasakibara who was also waiting along with him.

"What took you so long?" Akashi inquired when they halted before him.

"Aha! Sorry, just some last-minute preparation!" She resumed briefly, while in fact a lot happened in just fifteen minutes. Girls sure talked a lot when left alone...thought Ritsu with amusement.

"Oh, you've also changed, Akashi-kun..." Momoi said, noticing he was in his uniform.

"I can't stay with that costume on me. The weather is rather hot today." He watched the two girls exchanging disappointed looks in silence as if they wanted him to keep wearing the Prince costume. "Do you expect something from me that I cannot accomplish in uniform?"

Both girls smiled at him, satisfying themselves with the Akashi they were familiar with.

"Not at all, you can do it like this! Isn't it, Momoi-chan?"

"Yeah! Actually, since it's our first festival in Teikō and we kind of all become close together, I want to take a photo the six of us!"

Momoi confronted the three boys with a glint of excitement in her big round pink eyes, trying to squeeze out a positive response.

"That's a very good idea." Interested by the idea, Akashi was the first to give in to Momoi's fervour.

"I don't see any problem with it." followed Midorima giving an approving nod to her.

"Me neither. But I don't mind if we're all going to eat ice creams after." declared Murasakibara, taking the chance to get treated.

"I'm looking forward!" chirped Momoi as she successfully gathered the whole bunch except one detail; the response of a certain navyhead was still unheard.

"You didn't find Aomine-kun?" asked Ritsu, looking around briefly.

"No sign of him. He must be roving around the campus." She turned to Murasakibara who shook his head nonchalantly, supporting his green-haired teammate's statement.

"Hum...why don't we call Mine-chin? Momo-chin must have his number."

Four pairs of eyes turned to Momoi who sent a glare at Murasakibara for his suggestion.

"Even if I call him, he won't answer since he'll see my name." She explained nervously, then a slight frown appeared on her face. "But it's okay if he's missing! It's Aomine-kun! I have plenty of photos with him! So he doesn't need to be here! Who wants a ganguro in the picture! Ahahaha..."

Momoi was a terrible liar. Everyone could tell she was forcing herself not to worry them.

Akashi stared at Momoi whose nervousness and faked smile betrayed her thoughts. No matter how hard she denies it, she genuinely wished for Aomine to be here with them.

He then examined the rest of his comrades who also cared about the pink haired girl's trouble.

Even if they did accept to go without Aomine, he wouldn't be satisfied by it because something would lack, and that was the mood. Everyone seemed unsettled by their small quarrel, just a single glance was enough for him to know that. So taking a photo in this kind of mood was possible but very far from the blissful image he had in mind. And so, he had to bring those two together for everyone to have a perfect memory of this festival, him included.

"Momoi, I will provide you help." The redhead declared out of the blue, taking his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Midorima informed me of the quarrel you had with Aomine."

Momoi was at loss of words, just like the rest of the bunch who was startled by his sudden initiative.

"I call and trick him to meet me up in front of the haunted house when it is you, Momoi, who will wait for him." explained Akashi calmly as Momoi became straight as a ramrod at the mention of the event.

"Akashi, can you tell us why the haunted house? It's a ridiculous idea." inquired Midorima, sceptical about his plan that, according to him, was a bit too simplistic and revealed some flaws.

"I disagree. Inside they will have all the leisure time to discuss without any possibilty for Aomine to get away. Moreover it is a fun event. Asaka and I had got our share of amusement in it."

Midorima shifted his gaze to Ritsu, curious and a bit astonished to hear their participation in such event. But despite his mixed feelings, he gave up on any questions that popped in his mind concerning those two, convincing himself it was due to the festival itself. It was plain odd from the start, so he found pointless to question everything that went against his strict and usual routine, especially concerning his vice-capitain. Following that logic, if Akashi had fun in the haunted house, wished to participate in a friendship quiz constest to win a...chick bolster, or wandering in the school hallways with a huge bag of prizes or got hugged; he would stay quiet about it, wondering where the course of fate was leading him by the end of this strange day.

"Aha...that was a real challenge!" Ritsu replied a bit troubled by Midorima's intense gaze and looked away when she noticed Momoi's stiff body. "Something's wrong, Momoi-chan?"

"M-M-Me?... No-no-no-no-no, I'm fine! P-P-Perfectly f-f-fine!" She stammered with confusion.

Ritsu was dubious. Was she possibily afraid of the haunted house? Since Akashi decided on this rendez-vous point, she was being very quiet. As she stared at her, some pieces of her memory came to answer her inner question. This morning, when they were touring around the festival, Ritsu had mentioned once the haunted house as they were looking for an event to do together but Momoi had immediately drawn her attention elsewhere and took away the festival program from her hands. After that, both of them, never ever mentioned it.

"Are you afraid of the haunted house?" She asked to be sure. At the question, Momoi's speech was so confused that they didn't grasp one full word. At least, she got an answer to her question. She was afraid of it.

"Do I need to change the rendez-vous point?"

"No-no-no! Don't! If you said it's fun, then I'll go! A-Anyway, I have to do it to suggest Aomine-kun to take the photo with us!" Momoi flapped, shooking quickly her head. "D-Don't worry, I'll do it! The photo is more important than my fear!..."

Akashi cropped up a little smile.

"B-But, Akashi-kun, what if he doesn't go?"

"He will or I'd rather say he must." He still hadn't forget the uproar he made with Himeno during the play. "I know a way to bring him there and accompagny you in the haunted house."

The group stared at him silently as his lips was slowly stretching into a smirk.

"I call him now."

Akashi dialed his number and put the phone over his ear waiting for Aomine to pick up. Everybody's attention was on him, or more specifically his phone, but all he got was his voicemail. He tried again and the result was the same.

"Apparently you are ignored as well, Akashi-kun." The latter looked up to Ritsu and smirked silently. He put away the phone and began to tape a message to him. Midorima and Murasakibara, who was the closest to the redhead, curiously took a peek on the message contents and spared a thought at their idiotic teammate to test Akashi's nerves.

[There won't be a third time, Aomine.] was what they read on the screen before he sent it to the poor guy. He clapped his phone and waited for an answer.

"Maybe Aomine-kun didn't hear it. Does he have his cellphone with him?"

Momoi nodded when a ringtone was playing on. Akashi looked at the name on screen and took the call.

"Aomine. Glad to know you got my message. I want you to meet me in front of the Haunted House. Immediately. No, I'm not joking. As for my reason, I'm sure you have an idea of it. Don't make me wait." Behind the phone, they could hear Aomine barking loudly something but Akashi hung up on him. His message relied, the rest was of little importance. "The rest is in your hands, Momoi."

"Ah...er...Thank you, Akashi-kun." The pink-haired girl was slightly perplexed by the flow of their «conversation» on the phone, if she must say. But now, she had the perfect opportunity to patch up things with Aomine, she felt relieved. "I hope he won't run away when he sees me waiting!"

"He won't because he will be the first to arrive."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Lurking in the shadows for the prey to come and pounce on it at the right moment. That's a common rule in hunting. It is meaningless to show ourselves first when the other party might run away at our simple sight." His explanation left them dumbfounded. Ritsu who asked the stupid question only expected one on the same level, but she was very far from it. At least, she learned that this alien was on the predator side, as expected. "We will lurk somewhere and send Momoi when he arrived."

"Aka-chin sure thinks of everything."

"«We»?" Midorima didn't like the use of this pronoun which was probably including him in this trap.

"I was talking about Momoi and me. I will wait with her and give assistance if the situation calls for it. Aomine can be quite hard to predict when he gets wary but I hardly think he would try something against you, Momoi."

"What about your participation in the friendship quiz constest?" The pink manager was a bit uneasy at the thought of involving Akashi in her problem when he had had other plans.

"They are currently in the middle of a session. Our participation has to wait. Is it alright with you, Asaka?" Those reassuring words brought a faint smile on the pink-haired girl lips who sent a sorry gaze to Ritsu.

"I don't see any problem at all. In any case, I was late so I don't really have a say about your decision." She shrugged it off, and couldn't help but feel happy about his initiative. It seemed the imposed fifteen minutes break had improved his mood. She faced him as she noticed a little glint of mischievousness in his eyes, displaying openly a side of him that kept growing in her more and more. This sight of him behaving like a simple teenager was somehow a very comforting feeling – because in this state, he was within her reach.

And to bring more innocence to this usual formal attire, Ritsu raised her arms above his head and put the crown of white flowers she received in Momoi's class café on his head. When she lowered her arms, she contemplated the result and it went beyond her expectation. There were quite a contrast with his face and this magical item.

"I-I had doubt about the result, but...you're strangely cute with this...!" She was unable to look at his face any longer.

"I did tell you that a crown of flower could suit me." replied Akashi in a serene voice.

"This sight is very disturbing." Midorima mumbled to himself as he fixed oddly the redhead with the crown of white flowers. He didn't even protest against it and let the girl do everything she wanted. He knew that the compatibility between Aries and Sagittarius was excellent but that didn't allow anything. "Asaka, why did you suddenly do that?"

"I just wanted to see it. It suits him so well that I wonder if he shouldn't wear it for the photo."

"Oh, nice idea, Asaka-chan! We all wear one for the photo!" Momoi agreed raising her arm in the air. She first looked at Akashi who gave his approval, then Murasakibara who nodded once and lastly Midorima who seemed at his wit's end.

"Don't look so gloomy, Midorima-kun."

"No, even if Akashi lets you do everything to him, it is not my case."

"...Are we going to take the photo in Murasakibara-kun's class?" After getting Momoi's positve answer, she came closer to Midorima and whispered something in his ear. Ignorant of what she was telling him, the three others saw the green-haired boy's eyebrow twitched nervously. When she moved away from him, he adjusted his glasses and said :

"By no means, I want to take a photo with a crown of flowers but if I must..."

Momoi and Murasakibara's eyes slid to Midorima from Ritsu, proud of herself.

"Asa-chin, what did you tell Mido-chin?"

"Something embarrassing." Ritsu answered in a chuckle.

"This conversation can wait later. We have to go, Momoi." Akashi returned straight to the business.

"Hm! Let's go!" She said in a determinated way as she was already looking forward to that unique photo. "Oh, Asaka-chan, can you keep with you the chick bolster?"

"No problem. But can I tag along? I don't have anything to do before the start of the next session."

"It might certainly be better this way. At least, I'm sure we will be on time this time." Ritsu rolled her eyes as he didn't forget her lateness.

"By the way, Asaka-chan, you don't have any of our numbers to contact us, do you?"

"I only have Murasakibara's."

"Murasakibara-kun? Why do you have it?" Momoi was surprised to hear the purplehead's name.

"That's...a long story." The reason was related to the «scheme» against Akashi weeks ago. She was unable to give a proper answer when the victim of this incident was present.

"...Then, let's exchange our numbers quickly! I'll give you Aomine's too! Ah! Hurry, Midorin!"

The group drew closer, their heads lowered on their phone's screens while exchanging their numbers.

"Done! We can exchange mails now on!"

"Sure."

"Then, off we go!"

Momoi and Ritsu led the way, quietly followed by Akashi and unexpectedly by Murasakibara and Midorima.

"You're coming with us?"

"I'm interested in your participation in the friendship quiz contest. So, I'll stay with you." The green-haired clarified, boring a sullen face.

"Asa-chin still hasn't buy me the snacks you promised me after the photo with Momo-chin." The giant boy fidgeted.

"Ah, okay...These are good reasons... So Murasakibara-kun, what do you want to eat?"

"Hm, a lot of things."

"Er...You can only chose one thing."

"Huh!...you're really boring."

"You can't expect Asaka to buy you everything, Murasakibara. You're being excessive."

In the middle of their conversation, the three of them marched ahead of Momoi and Akashi.

"Momoi, take this with you. In case, Aomine is being relunctant." He extented a folded paper that seemed like, on what she read in pink characters, a flyer to an event destinied for...couples. "Tell him to read what's written on the back."

She blinked, incrudulous as she grabbed the piece of paper. Was he trying to set them up? Momoi shook her head, trying to clear this silly idea out of her mind. Aomine and her? Akashi playing matchmaker? No-no-no, impossible! As she was currently locking eyes with him, she tried hard to read his intentions. The redhead sometimes could think in a way that went beyond everyone's expectations but he wouldn't do something as absurd as this matchmaking ‒ On second thought, it was a possibility, Akashi's idea often sounded strange at first, though they eventually proved to be very resourceful. Was he thinking of a potential development between Aomine and her?

At this point, Momoi's brain overheated and went completely blank. She could never see herself in a love relationship with her ganguro childhood friend, whatever Akashi saw in them.

* * *

Cursing Akashi under his breath, Aomine arrived at the rendez-vous point inspecting the hallway without feeling the presence of his vice-capitain. He cursed him again, he was the one who called and he wasn't even here. On the lookout, he crossed his arms behind his head, beating nervously the ground with his foot, his blue eyes focused on the huge banner on which was written «Haunted House» in calligraphied characers. Reading it, he pondered on what Akashi reserved him in it. Would they even go inside? He never said anything about going inside or more generally his intention. The only thing he knew was that he was there for his punishment. Apparently he didn't pray enough, even the clutz princess didn't manage to deviate his attention.

Waiting, Aomine heaved a sigh, as if he wanted to be punished now and in front of a freaking haunted house. But he complied since act of rebellion didn't work on Akashi as the more opposition he was confronted to, the less options the other party was left with. Put it bluntly, he would eventually be cornered by Akashi sooner or later; and the more one tested his patience, the more one were tested during the punishment. However good-natured he was in private, this fellow rarely let slipped any disobedient behavior in something he was deeply involved. First it was a simple advice, second a warning and three coercion. But rare were the time he actually went to the third option. Fortunately, he could say. A warning from him was enough to understand that he was not joking at all.

"Tch...! Go to hell, Akashi!" He groaned as he began to get irritated by the very fact of him waiting obediently the latter and his punishment.

"Dai-chan!"

"What do you want, Satsuki? Ah?! Satsuki!" Upon seeing the pink haired girl, he jerked his head back and forth, apprehending the arrival of a certain redhead who was nowhere around. There was only his childhood friend. Averting his eyes nonchalantly, he asked in a flat voice : "What are you doing here? I'm busy right now. So, go away."

The girl pouted her lips. "Fine! But it's Akashi-kun who sends me here."

"Ah?" He let out that indignant shout. "What for?"

"He wants us to go inside the haunted house."

Something fishy was going on, that was his hunch. He couldn't comprehend the involvement of Momoi as his subsitute, and even less Akashi's choice on this creepy place.

"Why do you listen to Akashi? You're afraid of haunted house, silly."

"I don't care about it! I just want to–"

"I'm off." He interrupted her, perfectly knowing what she was about to say. As always she read too much into a simple quarrel and tried her best to patch up things when they really aren't anything to apologize for. "Since Akashi's not here, I don't need to do what he says."

As he began to stride away, he was quickly pulled back by Momoi.

"I won't let you! Akashi-kun requests us to go to the haunted house!" She gripped on tightly his shirt, pulling him toward her with all her strengh.

"Dream on! Like I'd listen to his stupid request! He's just making fun of us!"

"He would never do– Aaaah! I almost forget!" Momoi relaxed her grasp, which cause Aomine, who wanted to get away, to stumble forwards. Thanks to his agility, he avoided to fall head first in middle of a crowded hallway.

"Oi, Satsuki! What's gotten into you?!" He barked at her.

"Here. It's from Akashi-kun." She handed him a folded paper that he seized with annoyance and unfolded it. Skimming through the flyer, his eyes widened in disgust.

"The heck! What's this stupid event?! Don't tell me he wants us to do that too?" The flyer was about testing a couple affinity through several trials.

Momoi paused, kind of happy to not be the only one to be creeped out by Akashi's idea.

"No-no, you have to read something on the back. That's what he said."

Aomine clucked his tongue and flipped over the paper on which were written a message from Akashi. As he skim-read it, he pressed his lips, repressing the urge to shout out his frustration. That fellow was one step ahead him!

"Tsk! We're going inside!" He crumpled the paper in his hands and tossed it away.

"Huh? Why the sudden change?" His childhood friend, who caught up the crumpled flyer, unfolded it and gasped in surprise when she read the contents. "But why Akashi–"

"How the hell should I know? He can be really twisted! Tch...Let's get it over with!" He roared, advancing toward the host who welcomed him all smile, which annoyed him to no end.

"Finally decided?" The host asked as he witnessed their little spat.

"Yeah,yeah. Like I have the choice."

"So which course do you want to do? Friends or lovers?"

"Aaah?! There's a choice?"

"Hm, Akashi-kun didn't specify anything about our course choice." Momoi said, reading again the redhead's message.

"We'll do the Friends's path, of course!"

"But if you cross the lovers' path, you can win the ultimate treasure."

"I don't give a damn! We're going through the Friends's course!"

"Good luck then!" He opened the door to the haunted house and Aomine was the first to step inside.

"Satsuki, don't stand there! Together we'll find those keys quickly and show Akashi what it is to make fun of us!"

As usual, Aomine was true to himself, not caring one bit about their previous quarrel. Momoi nodded to him in joy and followed her childhood friend's footsteps. Deep down, she thanked Akashi for his curious initiative. Although she was somehow unsure of his true intention, she was certain of one thing, he couln't be ill-intentioned. Admittedly, Akashi was weird regarding his way of thinking, but he was basically a good boy.

Meanwhile, behind a corner, four heads spied on the two childhood friends. They saw Momoi gestured to them with a radiant smile, raising her thumb up to inform them of the plan success; then she vanished inside the haunted house following Aomine who had already entered.

"Akashi-kun, what was this flyer about? When Momoi-chan gave it to him, Aomine immediately changed his mind." Ritsu turned her head to the red haired friend standing behind her.

"A message from me."

"Ah, that explains everything." She paused and went on in a deadpanned voice, persuaded there was something behind it . "And what did you write?"

"I request him to bring me the five winning prizes." He replied in all honesty.

"Huh, Aka-chin didn't win all the prizes with Asa-chin?"

"I won them all." He slightly bent down to grab his bag full of prizes laid on the floor. "However, I just wanted to give them a purpose inside it. If I didn't, Aomine would have stormed the haunted house without caring about the challenge or Momoi, but since teamwork is needed for him to find quickly the keys in order to get the prizes, he has to rely on her. Consequently, they are bounded to interact together."

"You think so far ahead in just a few minutes...? That's very impressive." Ritsu gaped, amazed by his quick mind. Undoubtedly he thought fast, but it went beyond any of her expectations.

"Akashi, next time do your explanation without that crown of flowers. It's hard to take you seriously."

Since the time she put it over his head, he had yet removed it.

"That's because you can't fully appreciate his innocence, Midorima-kun. This crown suits him pretty well!"

"Stop joking, Asaka."

She brushed it off with a chuckle. What else could she say? She wasn't joking at all. This crown of white flowers was the best item to honor this sweet side of him. Whatever accessories, whatever the majestic costume, to her eyes, nothing could match this heartwarming image of him.

"Shall we move on? We have a chick bolster to win."

How perfect he was.

* * *

As sparks flitting into the evening sky, the colorful bunch watched the peaceful scenery unfolding before their eyes filled with wonder. Like them, groups of students were contemplating quietly sweet couples dancing around the big fire that set aflame their young heart with the last remnant of the festival.

Burning high in the hazy sky, this fire was a reflection of the festival, seethed with excitement as life breathed anew in those usually quiet hallways, in those studious classrooms and in those plain courtyards. This was what every students would rememeber; whether first, second or third year, they would remember. Because everything had to come to an end. However sad and hearbreaking this notion was to innocent minds, young and brave hearts could only hope when they beheld such a flamboyant view – A fire that would burn away and a flame that would last ever after. A festival was a fleeting dream, but what they gained from it was real and could be felt deep down, or else who could explained those tears, those smiles or those laughs echoing under the uncertain night sky? This treasure was nothing more than memories of a blissful past and hope for a brighter future.

And the smiles Akashi saw on the photo he was holding brought again a soft smile upon his lips. It was perfect. This unique word said it all, he couldnt be more satisfied, or rather happier than he was right this instant. He didn't need mere photos, what he sought was true memories. And so, if by one single look, one could be stirred with emotions upon seeing it, then it only proved its sentimental value.

Currently, he couldn't withhold his heart tingling with joy like a little child, marvelled by simple things. But truthfully, when he examined it, they were all radiant, almost dazzling. Every one of them shone with their own light that was so peculiar of them.

On the photo, he was holding the shiny yellow chick bolster while standing quietly between a relunctant Midorima who was decided to stay at the very back but was pulled to the front in the very last seconds before the picture was taken by Ritsu who was beaming a broad smile at the camera holding the green-haired boy's right arm and gesturing a victory sign; and Murasakibara who also gestured innocently the same victory sign, standing like an electric pole amidst his smaller fellows while shoting a little smile with his casual expression. By his side stood Aomine who was strangling a dark red chick bolster and in front, Momoi. Just as Ritsu, the navy haired boy, decided to play a last-minute prank to Momoi who was requesting everyone to smile at three at this moment, but two seconds before the flash, the tanned boy leaned playfully on his childhood friend, putting his left arm around her neck as he was suddenly jerking his head forwards; and let the camera captured this sweet moment as he was grinning very proud of himself. While the poor Momoi bored a surprised face, her eyes were wide-opened with her mouth gaping at the sudden move, motioning her right hand to the crooked crown of flowers that fell over her forehead almost over her right eye and squeezing to death the pale blue chick bolster because of the abrupt impact.

How beautiful. They only took one as they were more or less all happy with the result. Rightly so, this photo captured the very essence of the festival. Simple yet so meaningful.

"Today was really fun!" said Momoi, playing with the ghost key chain she won with Aomine. "Except the haunted house...that was really scary."

"I thought you didn't care, silly." snorted Aomine and hit her gently over the head with the pale blue chick bolster. "Oh by the way, Akashi, I heard from Asaka she tried to pin you down in the haunted house, is that true?"

The rest of the colorful bunch gawked, the absurdity within this one sentence was so ludicrous that none of them would actually believe it.

"Oh, you too Aka-chin? She was really mean today." Murasakibara broke the awkward silence with his statement that led to another blank.

"...What do you mean, Murasakibara?" Akashi gave an inquiring gaze to the latter.

"She made me trip when I just wanted to talk to Momo-chin and her."

"That's because she thought you were a pervert!" When Momoi tried to make amends for her friend, Aomine burst out of laugh at the comical image of Murasakibara being a pervert lurking for cute girls. "Aomine-kun, that's not funny!"

"Asaka tends to jump to conclusion rather quickly. So this kind of hazardous incidents have a high probablility of occuring." Akashi affirmed, casting an eye over the all smile ash-blond-haired girl on the photo, that stretched wider his faint smile.

"Aries are specifically known for impulsiveness. The main reason it's hard to deal with her resides in this simple truth."

"If you're a Cancer, she doesn't like you very much too, Midorin!" Momoi said as a joke, clasping and unclasping her hands like crab's pincers.

"Ah, that may be a fact. Asaka hates crabs." Akashi supported the pink-haired girl in her joke.

Midorima glared at the two, marking a blank and gave a sigh when facing this unusual duo. "...It is irrelevant."

"Hehe! Did Asaka-chan told you about it, Akashi-kun?"

"Not quite. It's all thanks to your datas, if I must say."

"Eh?" Momoi tilted her head, she never shared any datas concerning Ritsu to Akashi.

"Not long ago, you lost them, right?"

"Yeah, I searched for them everywhere that day and they suddenly reappeared the next morning on my class desk." Having a vague reminder of that moment, she blinked for a short instant; but as she connected his words with her memory, she cried aloud. "It was you who left them on my desk!"

"That is accurate. Actually, I should apologize for my peeking into your notes. I was a little curious of your information gathering method since they revealed to be very helpful during the preliminary games. Those are very organized and complete much to my expectation."

"It's only datas, Akashi-kun!" Praised for her hard work, Momoi blushed in embarrassment, cupping her hands over her cheeks. "We can work together whenever you want, I'd be glad to share them with you! Together I'm sure we can improve the team stats!"

"Your devotion is truly admiring, Momoi. I appreciate it."

"Tehehe! Asaka-chan was right..." muttered the pink-haired girl when she looked upon the ever quiet redhead softly smiling as he shifted his gaze to the fire.

«When you look at his back, you're admiring; when you look him in the eyes, you're aknowledged; and when you look at «him», you're watching over him. Quite simple, isn't it?»

It was simple, indeed. As friends, they could only care for him, no more no less.

"At least, you won your prize, Akashi-kun!" She enthused, lowering her pink eyes on the chirpy yellow chick bolster placed together with her pale blue one.

"It has a cute face."

"Contrary to the one I won. Who had ever seen a chick with strange eyebrows?" added Aomine very casually as an image of the chick popped in his mind.

"There weren't eyebrows..." Momoi retorted flatly. "But Asaka-chan really likes it!"

"I don't understand girls taste. It's damn ugly. Bah, if she's happy wi–"

Aomine stopped in midsentence at the presence of the Princess, marching with confidence in their direction.

"Hello. Am I interrupting something?" She greeted them, currently feeling the nervousness building up inside her when she faced them, and more specifically Akashi.

"No, you aren't." The latter met her eyes that seemed clear of all doubts.

"Ah, Akashi-kun! I...er...need to tell something important...But before all, I need to apologise to you...for my selfish behaviour on the stage...It was as you said...It wasn't the right place to do that...so, I'm very sorry for everything..! I-I also apologise to everyone...T-They were very surprised when I did...Aahaaha...They took me to the nurse office..." She tapped nervously her fingers together, gathering her courage to speak to him in poised tone but under Akashi's gaze, she couldn't control her intonation that was either going very high-pitched or barely audible. Although she saw a warm glint in his eyes, she couldn't help but remember her painful experience on the stage. Without noticing, she met Momoi's gaze as she unconsciously averted his eyes from him when she apologized. The pink-haired girl gave her a faint smile and cheered her on silently. At that little push, she returned to him and exhaled deeply. "B-B-But since the play is over...Can I have another chance...? Ah..! Maybe we should s-speak a little before...ALONE! So, would DANCE with me...?"

A blank ensued, the girl tormented herself during this long minutes, wondering whether he would accept or refuse her offer.

"Sure. Why not?" offered the red-haired boy in a very simplistic manner.

"R-Really?" Himeno couldn't believe her ears at his positive answer.

"Yes, it would be my pleasure."

As she held his hand and pulled gently toward the big fire, Akashi spared a smile for her courage.

* * *

Gazing upon the same scenery, Ritsu was sitting around chatting with the members of the volleyball team whom she decided to join after she ate ice creams with the colorful squad. There were eight of them including her, all reunited to enjoy together the end of the festival.

"I tell you, you got tricked when they gave you that chick bolster, Asaka. Those eyebrows or whatever those are, are not cute at all. Look, he had a nasty look because of it." declared a orange haired girl, examinating the dark red chick bolster from all the different angles. Staring intensely at the puny round eyes of the chick as if she started some gaze contest with it, she held her chin thoughfully when a frown went twisting slightly her baby face. "I can't even call it a chick. There's something fiery emanating from it, like it says «I'm going to destroy you all! Grrrr!»"

"«G-Grrr?», but that's a chick, Ugai-senpai." Ritsu replied, her lips twitching as she hesitated in laughing or shortening the conversation with her senpai, Ugai Komaki.

"It's that thing aura."

"Y-You read too much into things. To me, it has its own charm as a chick. And those are not eyebrows." She raised the dark red chick bolster to her eyes level and looked happily at it.

When they seperated with Momoi, Akashi and her finally went to participate in the friendship quiz contest. At last. No infuriated admirers, no techical problems, no missing friends, their path had been cleared of all troubles. Everything went well during the first round as Ritsu expected since she was partenered with the smartest student of Teikō.

For Akashi, the first round which was on general knowledge was merely child's play. Thanks to him, they obtained a perfect score, the red haired boy showed no mercy to the other candidates who was left incapable of outmatching his intelligence nor his speed in answering. However, the second round was where things had complicated for the duo because of a pair of best friends that proved to be real challengers in this round. Although this factor decreased their chance of victory, Akashi seemed even more stimulated to win and his answers regarding his partner were truly scary – Well, from her point of view, to say the least. Momoi was one thing since she was aware of her abitily, but that Akashi himself knew so much about her was very disturbing. So far, they didn't talk much about private matters...There was no point in dwelling on this since they won their fierce battle against that demonic pairs of best friends. Besides, all in all, Akashi would had certainly chosen another person if he had judged their affinity not high enough to enter the contest.

"No one cares whether it's a chick or something out of this world." sighed Hoshino, tired from running around the entire day. The huge girl let out a long yawn without minding her manner before her teammates and collapsed on the grass, outstretching her limbs like a starfish. "Right now, I only see it as a bolster. Ritsu, give me that, I'll rest a little."

"No." She refused flatly. "This is a present."

A present from Momoi to be precise. As they won the Akashi's chick bolster, they were congratulated by Momoi and Aomine who had returned from the Haunted House in one piece and, Midorima and Murasakibara. After that, they all decided to go take the photo but when Momoi noticed that Ritsu didn't get one chick bolster even after two participations, she felt the sudden urge to get one for her. Though she tried to turn her down, Momoi already signed in for the next session with Aomine as her partner, in spite his reluctance. And so they won the dark red chick bolster.

"You little...! First Rin, now it's you. It's my last festival there, damn it! Be kind to me at least!" She whined loudly, still laying like a starfish on the grass.

"Eh, your grades improved so much for you to even consider graduation, Hoshino-san?" The tease of a certain girl with long auburn haired neatly tied in a ponytail forced the latter to leap on her feet and pointed her finger at the smaller girl, Kazehaya Rin.

"Riiiiin, you jerk! That's how you're talking to your senior?!"

"I don't think I was being rude." Kazehaya retorted. "And if I may, hierarchically speaking, I have a certain authority over you since I'm your vice-capitain."

"Tsk...You're a total jerk as always! I didn't forget what you did this afternoon! You ruined my forty-seventh victory against Shūzō at the track and field club event! Why did you interrupt our duel?"

"Firstly, you weren't fast enough. Secondly, I also snacthed victory from Nijimura-kun since I won the race. Thirdly and lastly, why should I even bother of your stupid duel when you two were partcipating in an open event?"

The two girls stared each other out of contenance, forgetful of the others.

"What, Hoshino-senpai didn't participate in the Stamp Rally Competition?" Sitting a bit farther behind Ritsu, Yagami asked the other members, completely ignoring Hoshino and Kazehaya bickering. "She pestered Tomoe and me with it for a whole quarter of an hour."

"You as well, Yagami?" Ritsu turned the head to the navy blue-haired girl.

"Does that mean she also came to you, Asaka-chan?" Sat up with cross legs beside Yagami, a girl with hooded eyes asked in a soothing voice despite Hoshino's loud voice in the background – Yūzuki Tomoe.

"Yes, unfortunately, I ran into her, or rather she found me...but she didn't take that long with me. Fifteen minutes, that's pretty long..." Both Yūzuki and her began to laugh together.

"Tell me about it!" added Yagami as she heaved a sigh, starting to get tired just by looking at Hoshino. "Because of her, we missed the light music club performance! She jabbered on love and other nonsense. And now I hear, she didn't even participate in the stupid competition...What was she doing with the basketball captain anyway?"

Tomoe patted Yagami's shoulder in sympathy.

"From what Kisa told me, she tried to drag to him into the Stamp Rally Competition and as you may suspect, he refused. She challenged him to a game in three rounds with the condition of him being her parner if he were to lost." Aside the two bickering girls, the rest of team listened dumbfounded to their captain's quick explanation. Hibari was standing near Ritsu, watching the fire and the couples dancing in circle with more or less interest. "She had lost the first one, win the second and lost the third. And so she challenged him to another game with her win but Nijimura couldn't settle down with the result...Well, you can guess the rest. That's Hoshino Wakana for you."

"Eeh, Wakana-san and Nijimura-san can't help it, do they?" Yūzuki gave a knowing smile to Hibari.

"Uwa...How many challenges did they do? Sounds so tiring." Ugai exclaimed.

"Fifty-nine, with Nijimura's win! They've been running around the school campus since noon." A girl, who had platinum blonde hair and a trim looking figure, answered in a chirpy manner. She was Hareki Kisa, their manager.

"And she still has the strength to pick a fight with Kazehaya?"

"Well, in the team, Wakana is the one who has the best stamina. She's a pain but in a good way." Hareki agreed wholeheartedly with Hibari's claim. "But thanks to you Asaka, the Stamp Rally Competition went rather smoothly for me."

"Er...did I miss something?"

"You sent her to Nijimura, right? Wakana told me it was a great suggestion of yours. You didn't want her to take away the little vice-captain of the basketball club from you." Her captain grinned proudly as four pairs of eyes suddenly shifted their attention to Ritsu, the latter suddenly laughed it off nervously. "Way to go, Asaka!"

"It's not what you're thinking. Akashi-kun and I were –"

"OH! Now you mention that red midget, he tricked me! I ran three times around the campus before I actually find Shūzō who was not at that freaking table tennis club!" Hoshino stopped her bicker with Kazehaya and lowered her eyes to Ritsu who was fully aware of his trick.

"T-Three times...?" Ritsu repeated with astonishment.

"Hey, Asaka, since you're so buddy-buddy with Akashi, tell him that next time I see him I'll give him a piece of my mind!"

"Woah, you'd better not, Hoshino." Ugai cut in. "Something's telling me, it's not a good idea. His aura is rather strong for a guy of his stature."

"Oh, cut the crap, Komaki! The hell I care about his aura! My honor is at stake!"

"See?" Hareki jerked her head backwards smirking to the two first year member. "As I told you, better watch out of small things! This is one universal rule!"

"Again with that weird rule?" Yagami said. "It makes no sense since it depends on one's height, Hareki-senpai. Look, Hoshino-senpai is the tallest girl of the team, without saying of the school. So following your «universal» rule, does it mean that in her eyes we are all vicious to the core?"

"Yeah, you catch on quick, Yagami-kun! That's what makes her strong! She doesn't underestimate anyone since she expects the worst from any opponents smaller than her, that is to say, mostly everyone." Hareki crawled to the latter and ruffled her hair to praise her for her right guess.

Yūzuki let out a gasp. "Wah, your logic is completely screwed up, Kisa-san."

"Really? I thought it was obvious."

"As the smallest girl among us, you ought to know. This rule also applies to you." The auburn haired girl glanced at the all smile girl.

"Hehe, thank you!"

"That wasn't a complime– "

"Oh, look the Prince is going to dance with the Princess." cried aloud Yūzuki upon seeing the surprising couple.

Ritsu widened slightly her eyes as she looked on Himeno and Akashi was walking in direction of fire, ready to join the dancing couples. Seemingly things were somehow going well for them, she was sure the day after next their dance would be gossip material in their class.

"Ah, you're talking about Ritsu's class play? You two went to see it?"

"Us three!" The orange-haired girl replied to Hoshino's question, pointing Yūzuki and Yagami. The rest of the girls didn't come to assist the play, all busy at the said moment.

"How was it?" Hareki raised the question that everyone awaited to ask.

"Hoshino, you would have been proud of Ritsu if you were there!" The short dark haired girl raised a brow. "In the play, Asaka played the witch and she fought with the Prince who was none but the «red midget»."

"Eeh...You're picking my interest! Tell me more!"

"Aha, they were like going at each other's throat. You should have seen their duel, it was so damn cool!" Faking to hold a baton, Ugai gestured reproducing some movements of the fight scene to show.

"Yeah, totally. Asaka-chan challenged him afterall. But it looked very painful whenever he managed to hit her."

"Asaka-kun did that? Our sweet Asaka?" Hareki was a bit surprised to hear about her wild behaviour.

Ritsu didn't hear anything of the conversation, her full attention was directed to Himeno and Akashi giving off a peculiar feel when she saw them dancing together. Even in the distance, she couldn't missed her bliss that showed through the smile she shared with Akashi. Such a romantic view, and to say she was the cau...the reason behind this. She was happy for Himeno yet a tingling feeling somewhat held her back in fully appreciating the sight.

"You're not going to ask him for a dance, Asaka?" Ritsu snapped out of her thoughts and raised her head to Hibari. By the looks of it, she seemed to have noticed to whom her gaze was.

"Ah...no, that would be pretty awkward if we dance together. I'm taller than him."

"What, it's just about that?" Hibari shrugged her shoulders.

"More or less. A petite girl like Himeno seems a better choice. Actually they fit pretty well together."

"Do they?..." The captain eyed her for a while, waiting for a response that never came. She took Ritsu's silence for an answer - one that only confirmed her first impression of her. "You're too soft-hearted."

"It may be the case."

"No, you are. That's why you're still lacking of that particular glint."

Ritsu didn't answer anything to her captain, she didn't expect one at that moment. It was a mere observation.

Maybe was she too kind-hearted when she looked on again the dancing couple. If she really wanted to, she could fit this beautiful image and got rid of that strange sensation regarding him. But there could only be one happy ending, and she let go of that chance for being too kind.

Her happy ending had yet to come.

* * *

**Yeah, I know, those two chapters were oversentimental (sorry for the randomness of some events and the rushed events). But well, that's the end of the festival. When I was writting, it was kind of hearbreaking to know that it finally comes to an end. It felt like I finished writting one big installment which is not the case...**

**But I hope you enjoyed it much as I do. Next chapter, we'll come back to daily life.**

**By the way, I'm sure some of you might have been confused at the sudden introduction of all the volleyball team members but I thought it was the right moment to do that because they do exist even if they don't always appear. So to help you remember them (you better because they will be playing a major part in Asaka's character development, but I don't force anyone of course), I listed their name, position and year.**

**Hibari Masame 雲雀・正芽 (setter / captaine) - 3rd year**

**Kazehaya Rin 風早 ・凛 (middle hitter / vice-captaine) - 2nd year**

**Hoshino Wakana 星埜・和叶(outside hitter) - 3rd year**

**Asaka Ritsu 朝果・律 (outside hitter) - 1st year**

**Yagami Kimiko夜神・ 企美子 (opposite) - 1st year**

**Yūzuki Tomoe 夕月・委依 (middle hitter) - 2nd year**

**Ugai Komaki 宇涯・駒基 (libero) - 2nd year**

**Hareki Kisa 晴氣・紀佐 (manager) - 3rd year**

**Their name are not chosen by random by the way, it sort of hints their role in the volleyball team or their character.**

**Well, that's all for tonight, guys.**

**Feel free to leave some review!**

**See you soon!**

**I want to thanks you all for yours reviews, your favorites and follows, it meant a lot to me! You don't know how! So thank you!**

**To chocolaetelove : Thank you for your review! Tehehe. I know the development of their relationship is very slow but an emperor's heart is not easy to conquer! Joke aside, yeah it is the start of Asaka's feelings.**

**To Whitedevil21 : That's one of the best compliment I could get for this story, so thank you very much for your kind review! Akashi's interaction, especially the one with Asaka's are so nerve-wracking...but that's why I like him!**

**To Xhre : No, I haven't watch...I'm waiting for the whole season to come out and watch it in one go! But yeah they are sooo cute! ( I read the manga) Hope you like Akashi's part in those two chapters!**


	29. Severe perfection (1)

**All three parts will be rewritten.**

* * *

From the other side of the music room windows, rain was pouring down outside, blurring the cloudy landscape with a curtain of water droplets that splattered continuously over the windows planes without showing the slightest sign of abating. While the wind softly whistled throughout the school that went quieter than usual because of the heavy rain.

Overlapping the nature sound that raged outside with an harmonious melody, Ritsu was currently playing piano in the music room as her long fingers slid over the keyboard, depressing the white and black keys in coordination with her eyes that skimmed through the score; and the room was enlivened by the sprightly tune she was practicing on.

Also stuck in school due to the bad weather, she was part of the majority who was lounging around the school facilities out of boredom. Rainy days were pretty boring in itself for most people, but she kind of liked this punctual change of scenery as it gave the opportunity for her to do things she wouldn't think of or do ordinarily. Like keeping compagny to a certain purplehead whom she came across in front of a vending machine.

Upon noticing his boredom, she couldn't help but asked him if he wanted to join her in her piano practice since he seemed very bored to have nothing to do, which was quite ironical in a sence considering Murasakibara's character. He often complained of any demanding task given to him, a bit lazy to put the least effort if he didn't felt urge. And yet, here was the perfect day for him to laze around and do nothing, but he didn't seem satisfied with the current situation either. He was just like a little child who was whining about everything that required effort and getting depressed when having nothing to do. With hindsight, it was certainly a good sign if Murasakibara was being childish; otherwise boredom would waste him.

Halting in her playing, Ritsu took the pen over the music rack and wrote some notes to herself on the music sheet. She tilted her head in ponder, tapping her chin with the pen while her eyes studied the part she had currently difficulty to play with the right feel. Lost in reflection, some notes escaped as her left hand ran over the keys, playing in loop the small part she was stuck on. As she reached any conclusion over her pondering, she isolated the part and decided to ask advice from her mother at home.

When she was about to playing again, she curiously rested her gray-blue eyes on Murasakibara and lowered her hands, that was previously above the keyboard, on her tights. The latter was sat down on a desk in the front row near the windows and had been listening to her for almost an hour now. The giant boy didn't seem to take notice of her gaze, dozing while watching the rainy weather, his head rested on his hand.

"You must be bored, aren't you, Murasakibara-kun?" At the question, the purplehead snapped out of his daze and faced a smiling Ritsu.

Acutally for the whole hour, they had barely exchanged words together, or rather they had stayed silent the entire time as they gave way to music to only fill the room with sweet notes. Although neither of them felt the need to initiate a conversation, Ritsu was still thoughtful of the boy who was only there for the lack of better options. Afterall, it had been one hour of silence for him.

"No, I don't mind." He replied with his typical nonchalant voice. "It's a good way to spend time. I don't have to do anything except listening."

"Even to classical music?"

Murasakibara hummed his positive answer. "Asa-chin's piano playing is pleasant to listen to. Just like Mido-chin or maybe better."

"Midorima-kun knows how to play piano?"

"He sometimes plays it during his free time."

"But I've never heard him play nor do I have ever seen him spending time around here." When she learned the fact, a slight hint of disappointment slipped through her voice.

"It's because Mido-chin doesn't use this piano. He uses the old one in the annex building."

So he was using the upright piano in that remoted part of the school. She came upon it by accident in the beginning of the term, and the least she could say about it was that it was quite worn by time after trying playing a tune. The piano in itself was relatively good, it had been well-maintained over time although it was now unused for school activities. But, when she meant worn by time, she was referring to its tone as it was very slightly varying from note to note. Nevertheless, it still remained a good piano. She was sure that by voicing it a little, this piano could get back its original tone.

"Since nobody's using it, he can play whenever he wants without being bother, and he likes the sound of it, that's what he said to Aka-chin and me."

Midorima was a bit of a loner as ever. However this image of him being alone while indulging himself to the tranquility of the place as he played on this old piano, suited him so well. To beginning with, he was a character that didn't seem to like to stand out or give great importance to renown or glory despite the praises. It wasn't indifference nor humility... She got the feel there was something more behind his quiet behaviour, but she couldn't pinpoint what exactly. Not that it held much importance to her, it was idle curiosity regarding the greenhead with whom she had the least affinity so far. Their friendship was not to be questionned, this was a fact, except that there were simply a greater distance between the two of them than with the others. So when she had the occasion to learn a couple of things about him, she was very delighted by it.

"So, Akashi-kun and you have already listened to him."

"When we have nothing to do, Aka-chin and I sometimes go listening to him whenever he plays."

"I would love to hear him one day. I know that Akashi-kun can play, but it picks my curiosity when it comes to Midorima-kun. He's so secretive!" Maybe, it was why she was so interested in his case. Curiosity was never aroused without a small part of mystery. "He must be playing well since he has Akashi-kun and you as his public."

"I don't know, but it's good to listen to it." Murasakibara replied monotously as the shape of a smile began to twist his detached expression. "Hm, Aka-chin said he had skills, his music is...er...don't remember...he used too much complicated words. He likes it though."

Ritsu chuckled at his innocent answer. "If he manages to get you appreciate his music, I can tell you he is a good pianist. You don't understand anything to classical music, still you enjoy it."

She was being stared blankly by the giant boy to whom she only smiled in silence; nicely surprised by his good attitude toward classical music for someone who barely nay never listened to classical pieces. She was conscious that Murasakibara hadn't real interest in it nor would he develop any, but he wasn't bored by it contrary to most people in the same case as him. Although it was a «good way to spend time», he was genuinely listening.

"Maybe. But compared to Mido-chin, Asa-chin's playing difficult songs. The melody you were playing was strange."

Even so, he was still new to this secluded world, thought Ritsu, watching the purplehead as he slowly began to wake from his usual lethargy with their idle conversation.

"Aha, because I'm practicing for an assignment. Like you said, it is quite difficult, even for me. So, I can only imagine how hard it is for you to listen to it." She sympathized, taking a peek outside where the rain was still beating on the city.

And to say, classes were dismissed earlier today. Murasakibara and her were waiting for the start of their club activities that certainly wouldn't be called off due to the bad weather, contrary to open air sport clubs. So they had to kill time the best way they could, and peharps it was high time to change the pace of this morose atmosphere.

"Since you bear my playing so quietly, why not do something thing funnier now? The purple head perked his head up as she struck up a tune. Her fingers were dynamically pressing down the keys playing a lively melody that could make them forget about the restless splatters of rain. "You might know this song. It's very popular."

As the music filled his ear, his face seemed to have brigthened by the familiar tune. "Ooh...This song...! I know it!"

"You recognize it?"

With one firm nod, he answered just as immediately, sounding a little happy to listen to something he was more accostumed to.

"It's the theme of a live action hero show I often watch at home. Asa-chin likes this kind of shows too?"

"In fact, it's my little brother who's very fond of it. He loves it because it's «soooo cool!»." She replied, finishing with a little imitation of her brother's enthusiasm. "So I often play with him the theme of shows he likes."

Murasakibara was staring at her with a spark of curiosity which gave rise to smiles. She could count on her fingers the times she could perceive such strong glow in his purple eyes. Not that it changed anything in his outward appearance, she meant it in inwardly. Even though this glow was merely idle curiosity and was so natural in people's eyes that it didn't need to be even mentioned, this had to be taken and felt on another level in Murasakibara's case. He seemed so detached and disinterested in everything he did that the slightest interest he had in something, whatever it was, could be associated to intense emotions from him. As she gradually got acquintainced with him, she came to understand that nonchalance was an immutable part of him, nobody and nothing could change his character. In his reactions or thoughts, she would ever be confronted to it. But did that mean everything was some sort of an obligation to him?

"You know, when I look at you, I'm always wondering why you chose basketball as club activity, Murasakibara-kun."

"Huh, why?...I don't have a particular reason." He said before he began to tilt his head side to side. "I play basketball because it's easy and I don't need to put lots of effort. Practices are a pain though..."

"...It's very like you." Ritsu concluded the least surprised by his answer.

"It'd be great if they were less practice..."

"That would spoil you, Murasakibara-kun." After yawning, he locked eyes with her, blinking in tiredness for doing nothing. "You'd be bored to death if there were no practice. You're already lazy, so you better keep up with the only thing that entertains you, sweets aside."

"It's no fun sometimes."

"Sometimes doesn't mean always. Whatever you say, you do have fun in playing basketball, don't you?"

Murasakibara only shrugged her off. "Hum...If I have fun too, it's good then."

Ritsu gave him a knowing smile. He wasn't either giving importance or ignoring her comment, he was just listening to her – It was exactly like child's insouciance.

"Okay, now! Let's see if you can recognize some other themes!" She chirped, facing again the piano.

She didn't need to continue discussing the subject, she just knew it. At some point, Murasakibara's attitude was sort of the same as her little brother. If being too much nagged, they would eventually withdraw into themselves and ignore everything around them. Maybe, that was why she had the same sibling approach with Murasakibara, his childish side sometimes recalled her of her younger brother.

"Asa-chin knows other themes?"

"When I told you my little brother was a superheroe fan, I wasn't lying."

Another tune began to fill the room, Ritsu peeked at him discreetly while playing and smiled softly at the sight of her friend concentrated on her playing. The purplehead seemed all ears, and it only meant one thing – He was having fun.

Because the moment he stopped listening would mark the beginning of a very boring life for him.

"Ah...! That song is..."

* * *

Their meeting with the coaches over, Akashi closed the door behind him and walked along Nijimura. The latter looked off at the windows and soon became jaded by the scenery. Noting his change of mood, the red-haired boy casted a sidelong glance in the same direction.

"Talk about a bad weather."

"It doesn't seem to abate soon."

"What a crappy day. Things are already heavy on our backs but I get the feeling it's weighting a lot more everytime it's raining." Nijimura grunted, getting tired of this rain. Since morning, it was pouring down.

"It's no surprise. The air becomes quite oppressive as the Nationals draw closer each days. Everyone is putting their maximal concentration on practice, yet by training too hard without rest, some sometimes tend to slack off for one reason or another if results don't show up. And this motivation is lacking most in rainy days since practice does seem even more fruitless and meaningless than usual. That sure doesn't sound very fun."

Nijimura heaved an long exasperated sigh as he listened to him.

"No need to tell me all that, I've never thought of this load on my back as light to begin with. That's why it kind of annoys me. Watching over a team is the busiest job ever."

The redhead acknowledged the fact and remained quiet after. His senior actually didn't need words from him. Nijimura was a level-headed boy in most of his decisions and responsibilities, although his quick-tempered nature often let believe otherwise. He didn't say it against him or found it utterly troublesome. Nijimura spoke his mind, that was all there was to it. Sometimes it was expressed by complains, others by doubts, but whatever his first impressions on the matter were, his opinion would always speak and act for the best interests of the club.

"Anyway, after you telling me that...Seems like you're made to fit well in that role, vice-captain Akashi." declared Nijimura with a hint of sarcasm.

Akashi ignored it but he casted a sidelong glance at his senior, somewhat pricked by the sudden topic. Not long ago, the coaches had appointed him to fulfill the role of vice-captain of the team. He was still unsure of how and why such a decision fell upon him so soon. Not that it held actual importance for him or feel anxious, if it was asked of him, his competences must have been appraised valuable enough to carry out that duty, and he believed himself able to live up to those expectations. But, as a matter of fact, he had never imagined to hold such a position in his first year.

"It's been more than three weeks already, huh. Did you get accustomed to it?"

In truth, nothing has really changed for him along those new responsabilities. He acted as he always did with other members and continued with his practice like usual while the coaches and Nijimura kept the same strict attitude toward him. But his commitment for the club did become more important through his daily interactions with the coaches and Nijimura. So, he found it more fitting to say that things went quite naturally for him instead of adjusting himself to new changes.

"You needn't to worry, Nijimura-san."

"I'm not worried, you're doing a fine job at the club. I have no complains so far, but no matter how I look at it, you're just a first year for me."

"I see." An amused smile crept on his face. "You're asking out of consideration for me, your underclassman."

Nijimura pulled a disguted face. "Do I look that nice to make you think that? You underclassmen are my responsability as long as I'm your senior in the club. There's nothing deep."

Akashi agreed amusingly. Naturally his care for his teammate's welfare wasn't something he could consider as deep, but the way he made it sound, it seemed like Nijimura considered upperclassman - underclassman relationship just as important as his captain's role.

"Aah, curse them!"

In the distance, a mid-long brown-haired girl stormed out of the student council room, followed by a calm girl with a long pony tail. Akashi looked at those familiar faces. If he recalled well, they were respectively the volleyball club's captain and vice-captain, Hibari Masame and Kazehaya Rin.

"It's the second time in a row we've made it to the Nationals and that's how we're treated!" gritted out Hibari.

"It can't be helped. We can't expect them to give us the same treatment as the basketball club or the soccer club, with only two mere selections on national level." Kazehaya shrugged it off. "Besides last year, we lost our very first game at the Nationals. Talk about achievements, if you ask me."

"Spare me your comments, Kazehaya!" The volleyball captain heaved a deep sigh of exasperation in a vain attempt of regaining her composure. "Ah, those student council nerds are giving me a headache!...As if they could really understand our need. It's not like I'm asking for a raise of our club budget, dammit! «It's only occasional, deal with it.», they say...!"

Those annoying thoughts spining in infinite loop in her head, Hibari whirled around to the door and yelled as loud as she could to let the students inside know of her wrath.

"Hey, you nerds! I'll remember that! I won't let it end like this!"

"You're not going to resolve anything by threatening the student council, Hibari-san. Moreover it might be a bad idea to have them against us." The auburn-haired girl tempered things.

"Obviously, but it makes me feel much better."

"I thought you got along well with the president since you had participated together at the Stamp Rally competition."

"Ah, don't remind me that bad idea of mine. That was just an union of mutual benefits. It ended as soon as we lost."

Both girls moved away from the door.

"So, what should we—Oh." Kazehaya stopped mid-sentence as she spotted the two boys walking from the opposite direction. "Hi there, Nijimura-kun, Akashi-kun."

"What brings you two here? Have some business with the bunch of nerds inside?" asked Hibari after greeting them, her thumb pointing the door of the student council room.

"No, contrary to you apparently. I could hear you from the end of the hallway." Nijimura replied.

"Hmmm, is that so. Hey Nijimura, since you're here..."

As the volleyball captain called him out, the ravenhead knitted his brow, having the feeling that this rainy day wouldn't let him have peace at school.

"What?"

"Lend me a hand. I need some of your authority as the basketball club captain."

"Why should I? I have other things to do." He refused outright.

"Busy as always, I see. Well, it's nothing new, that's why I leave out all the explanation things and go straight to business."

"Oi, when you're asking for help, do it correctly!" snapped the basketball captain, which made the girl grin.

"If you insist that much."

"I'm not." Nijimura retorted as he wanted to stay out of this.

But it fell on deaf ears. Hibari was already counting on his cooperation. She exchanged a conniving look with Kazehaya and the latter took a step toward them and began to explain the situation.

"It'd be very appreciated if you're willing to lend us your support on this matter since the basketball club is also concerned. To a lesser degree but still. We were just being informed that yesterday, the soccer club had submitted a request to use a gymnasium for their practice on rainy days and it has been decided that it'll be the one our club is using."

Nijimura casted a sidelong glance at Akashi and he returned him the same curious look. Both were uninformed of this peculiar situation and the coaches hadn't said a word about it earlier.

"And, what's that got to do with our club? Sharing a gym with another one is a rather common thing." enquired the raven-haired boy, giving a perplexed look at Hibari.

"We don't mind sharing, we're already doing so with the third string of your club on a regular basis. But the problem is that the soccer club requested the _exclusive_ use of the facility without our consentment. The student council disregarded our case in favour of the biggest and approved of it."

"The exclusive use?" repeated Nijimura, almost shocked.

Kazehaya nodded to confirm.

"Just like your club has the exclusive use of a gymnasium for practice. They want the whole gymnasium for themselves on rainy days. I can more or less accept that the basketball club has been given such a privilege in light of your capacity and renown. It's only legitimate to give priority and importance to powerful clubs. But our club should also have been on that priority list at this period of time..."

_At this period of time_, Akashi meditated. He heard from Ritsu that her team had made it to the Nationals. Evidently, they should have been given priority over other clubs in preparation for the upcoming tournament. But seeing the volleyball club make such a fuss over that matter, it seemed like they weren't being taken seriously yet.

It was a shame to turn a blind eye to a promising club in favor of the strongest, but those who doesn't bring achievements weren't worth to be looked at. The volleyball club didn't need his compassion or whatsover to stand on their feet.

That said, he wasn't completely indifferent to the problem. For him, the soccer club's request actually made no sense, and sadly the volleyball club as well as the basketball club must bear the consequence of their silliness.

"But it's not the case," Akashi caught on the situation, "and the soccer club was granted the permission to use gymnasium when they doesn't have urgent necessity to hold their daily practice at the moment, since the Volleyball Nationals begin in August while the preliminaries for the soccer annual championship only come in Fall."

"You're quick on the uptake, I see. And pretty well-informed for a first-year." The volleyball vice-captain praised him with a pleased smile. "It's just as you say. Even so, we were told by our coach that our practice is to be called off today. It'll probably be the same for your club's third-string since they were supposed to practice in the same gymnasium as us today."

Akashi and Nijimura exchanged a brief look. Although they were at the head of the club, the third-string was mainly supervised by its respective coach and their authority mostly concerned the first-string. So, as long as the first-string had their daily practice, what happened to other strings wasn't their direct affairs.

Seeing that no immediate response coming, Kazehaya took the conversation up again.

"Actually, we care less about what'll happen to your third-string." She declared out of the blue.

"Hey, Kazehaya, what are you doing throwing our mean of bargain away like that?" Hibari remarked yet she barely stopped her underclassman from continuing.

"Don't things work for us if the third-string doesn't join up practice with other strings, Hibari-san?"

The volleyball captain put her hand under her chin while taking into consideration the idea. Then a smile crooped up as a satisfying answer came to her mind.

"Say, Nijimura, mind if we share your gym? If I remember well, the third-string has far more members than the whole volleyball club, so why not welcome a smaller club instead?"

Certainly tired by all this mess, the ravenhead heaved a long exasperated sigh while trying to compose his thoughts.

"Listen, we don't give a damn either if the volleyball club can't practice on rainy days or not. The basketball club will practice like usual. All three strings, you hear."

Akashi glimpsed at his captain, surprised at first by his initiative. It was no statement made on the spur of the moment. The third-string may not have the same importance as the first-string but all its members were in the same club as them. Having them to practice remained a priority and a necessity for the club's prosperity, who knows what kind of players might grow from the last string in the next months?

"Which means the whole basketball club will be practicing together?"

"Ah, nothing unusual." nodded Nijimura as Kazehaya raised an eyebrow noticing his lack of concern on the gym problem. "Once in a week the basketball club gathers all strings for common practice games. Though it's supposed to be held the day after tomorrow, bringing it forward to today won't be a trouble for us. We can't let the third-string call off their practice whenever it's raining because of a dumb request from another club."

Ignoring that, the volleyball vice-captain's gaze circled around the group for confirmation. Akashi gave her a simple nod of the head while Hibari showed no sign of surprise and motioned her to cut the discussion there.

"...We've come back to square one, Hibari-san."

Hibari shrugged her shoulders in an indifferent way. "Seems like so. Too bad, huh? I thought we stood our chance against the basketball club's good-for-nothings in term of importance..."

"Hey!" interjected Nijimura.

"But man, you've really grown, Nijimura! Who knew you'd come to care about the basketball club that much, huh, ex-member of the go-home-after-school club?"

After throwing to his face a past fragment, she elbowed him in a friendly way.

"Quit spouting nonsense!"

"Anyways, I knew it would come down to this, so let's leave it at it." gave up Hibari, casting a knowing look at the other girl. "We've wasted long enough time here. Time to go pay a visit to the soccer club's captain!"

The raven-haired boy watched them leave and sighed. "Hold on a second, Hibari."

"Starting to take us on pity?"

"Like hell. You said that the soccer club will have the exclusive use of your gym specifically on rainy days. What will you gonna do if it keeps raining tomorrow or another day?

"You have the whole picture now, I'll be counting on you, captain Nijimura!" Hibari grinned, her thumb up. "Better watch the weather forecasts from now on!"

Nijimura rolled his eyes, already understanding that nothing was settled at all. Although he wished for the third-string to practice the same as the other strings, his solution was temporary for a day only. If it were to continue raining, tomorrow the third-string would have to call off some of their practice sessions for sure. He was conscious that the coaches would prioritize the first-string's good condition of practice first and well, even him wouldn't be so stupid to allow that kind of episode happening so occasionaly, particularily at this period of time. He had his own training to think about before anything else.

"Aaah, what a crappy day!" Nijimura jerked his head back and exhaled heavily. "I'm coming with you, Hibari. I don't really want to say it, but we can't always welcome the third-string every rainy days, we'd be damn packed in the gym if we're to train like usual. Let's settle this with the soccer club!"

"Nice to have you on my side! Here we go!" Hibari fired up, leading the march.

"Hibari-san, do I need to come?" asked Kazehaya in a plain tone as she saw them take off.

"Leave it to us. Oh, but can you inform the others not to head for the gym until I notice it to you. I'd like to avoid further commotion between the soccer club and the volleyball club...and that bloody student council."

When they left, Akashi heard Kazehaya mumble something. The older girl then took a glimpse at him before she started walking ahead.

"You're in the same class as Asaka, right? Mind to pass on the information to her? I might not be able to come by the first-year floor, a moron in our club might try to stick her nose where it doesn't belong."

"It'll be done."

"Thanks."

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**

**Whitedevil21 : To answer your questions :**

**\- If this fic will turn out a bit AU? It might be a little.**

**-Concerning Asaka's case, her presence won't affect any of the canon events in the Teikō Arc. This is why her character's development will be mainly centered around the volleyball team. The GoM won't change because of her nor will she do anything to stop the course of events. Asaka will always have a global view and observe the GoM evolution with an external point of view.**

**What I mean by that is that she'll never witness with her own eyes any of the events that figures in the original story. Everything will be mentioned to her through her interactions with a member of the GoM.**

**So to make it short, Asaka is close enough to share some bonds but still a bit distant to keep them from falling apart as it's supposed to go in the Teiko Arc.**

**A little spoiler, I guess but well this fic is not great surprise either since it's following the original plot we all know by heart.**

**-Lastly, the 'Asakashi' relationship. Even though, I started the story with innocent days, all I can say is that the title and the summary of this fic hints you the direction it will take. Hehe.**

**Fanficuserhihi :** Aha, thanks you for the review! You know, I'm so relieved to hear that. Because I don't want Asaka to turn into girl blindly in love. Just to imagine her that way sends me shivers! So just like you, I hope she won't fall to the point of no return!

Xhre : Glad to know it! If the occasion arises, I'll make it happen! Though I'm not an expert on this sort of relationship...so it might turn in a odd way. And to answer your question, yes they will be a summer camp for Asaka and her team! This future chapter is one of the fews I apprehend the most because it's still a bit vague for now. Hehe, but thank you for your review!


	30. Severe perfection (2)

**Hello, guys!**

**A double update...again! Next time I shut my mouth about the chapter length. I never keep my original plan anyway. In my mind, this chapter was rather short in term of events and I still manage to write too much. That won't do...**

**So, are you ready for some Akashi and Asaka time ALONE? Those two interactions are so tiring and at the same time so pleasant to write. But they really gave me a headache.**

**After a plain first part, the end has to leave some impact!**

**Hehe, good reading~!**

* * *

Akashi was making his way toward the classroom in order to inform his friend of the changes concerning the volleyball practice. The last time he saw her, she was speaking with Honda and Yoshiwara.

"We're really going to do this?"

"I'm not happy to cope with this situation either. I don't want to waste my time with a hopeless case as you."

On the first-year floor, Akashi caught sight of Midorima who was walking out of his classroom and was followed by his classmate and teammate, Aomine.

"Then, it'll make things easier for us. I'm going to take a nap for now. See you later in practice." Aomine told while yawning loud enough that even Akashi could hear it in spite of the distance. In a sluggish way, he folded his arms in the back of the head, proceeding to a quieter place where he could rest.

However, Midorima had none of it. "Hold on a second! Hey!"

The navyhead paid no heed and continued on his track until he was confronted to his vice-captain. Aomine's face screwed up for a couple of second at his sight, not very happy to see him.

"Akashi, don't let him get away!" spoke up the glasses boy while he stomped to their direction.

The red-haired boy threw a glance at Aomine whose eyes was roving around the hallway in search for a way of escape. The latter swung around, ready to dash in the opposite way, when the metal blade of a shovel popped just before his face. He cringed and took a glimpse over his shoulder where a tuft of spiky red hair seemed strangely closer than earlier. At that moment, Aomine wondered when this guy even got there so fast as he was still meters away from him seconds ago. He could get rid of Midorima anytime but with Akashi as a support, escaping was hardly worthwhile considering what could happen to him later since now his vice-captain was involved.

"What's the matter?" He enquired to the both of them as Midorima kept his shovel high to Aomine's face, wary of his wild and unpredictable behavior.

"I was assigned by our advisor to help him in his studies." The green-haired glared at his troublesome classmate. "He failed his mid-term exams and since the final ones are one month away, I have to tutor this idiot as requested."

"It's just mid-term exams. No one cares if I'm doing well or not in this! Only final exams count! Even I can manage a good score on my own!" countered Aomine, displeased by situation he was in.

"That would be the case if the teachers didn't always see you sleep in class! When do you ever take notes, tell me!"

"Mind your own business. I have Satsuki for that."

Midorima grunted in disapprobation.

"Anyway, we don't have to do that stupid tutoring thing. With her notes, I'm sure I can aim for the average."

"That's what you're defining as a good score?"

"What's the point of aiming higher, huh? It won't change anything whether I'm in the top hundred or barely passing. At least I don't have take suppplementary classes." Aomine made his point in a laid-back attitude.

"So you can do better than average marks, Aomine."

At the faint but sharp voice, the navyhead and greenhead froze instantly and they stared at Akashi who didn't even stir an eyelash, remaining as composed as ever.

"The question doesn't need to be asked, Akashi." said Midorima as he snapped out of his bewildered state, wondering what he was about to scheme.

"I never asked, I was concluding."

"What the...Is there anything to conclude from what I said?" The tanned boy scoffed at him. "Don't tell me you're planning to raise my rank to the top hundred!"

Akashi's eyes that were on the greenhead slid very slowly to his wild teammate.

"You're very perceptive." On that praise – no, statement, Aomine pressed his lips for being too talkative. He just had to catch that little glint in his red eyes to know what that sly redhead had on the back of his mind. "Actually, I'm rather curious to know how far you can go, Aomine."

The moment their eyes met, Aomine cursed himself and by the way Akashi since he knew intuitively that this was bad news.

"According to your words, you only content yourself with average marks given the fact you deem meaningless to work hard for something that basically doesn't hold any importance to you, which I can more or less understand in light of your character." He marked a brief pause. "However, it also means you have the capicity to aim higher."

"Oi, Akashi, you're reading too much into things."

"Am I?" His smirk caused Aomine to let out a light grunt of exasperation.

This sudden interest that sparked in him was genuine and didn't mean any ill by it. Never would he ever look down on him; on the contrary he respected him. His navy-haired teammate was definetely a boy who had a predilection to practices more than theories, hence his lack of motivation for class lessons. He just went through the motions. Nevertheless, this fact didn't undermine his likely potential capacity to aim higher than he was willing to, and by taking this into consideration, Akashi only speculated on what would be the outcome if Aomine tried harder than usual and how far would he get with the required education.

"And what will you get from my getting in the top hundred? It's just a waste of time and energy."

"Nothing, of course."

But this way, the upcoming exams seemed very exciting. In general, Akashi saw those as nothing more than a formality. He was confident in his own ability, and the result he foresighted was only natural because of his elite mindset and by far uninteresting since the goal remained unchanged. Therefore, even though it wouldn't change anything for him, he was quite pleased to have something spice up his exam prospect, in the person of Aomine.

"Still, I find rather exhilarating the challenge you can offer me regarding the final exams."

"You can't be serious!"

"Akashi, are you, by any chance, suggesting the very idea of tutoring him?" Midorima tried to conceal his astonishment behind a clear tone.

"Yes, I don't mind helping him in his studies."

For a short instant, the greenhead narrowed his eyes, feeling slightly provoked by the full-confidence he was displaying regarding the final exams, although it was unintentional from Akashi.

Since their first meeting, Midorima has never contested his intelligence and aptitudes. In most likely every fields, he was always above and do better than others in such a natural way that frustration and jealousy could eat one away, in the same way as admiration that could blind one, because of such perfection. However, what he felt toward Akashi was neither of those feelings, but rather the right middle to those two extremes, which was respect. This feeling inside him was born solely from that mutal aspect of their relationship. He highly esteemed his teammate, and when respect was involved, somehow a singular desire could grow in somebody – the need to stand on equal ground.

Although they respected each other, Midorima was conscious of this latent gap between them. To date, he never managed to get the upper-hand on him, but there was no matter to frustration because he was confident on his very own aptitudes and to say to the least, self-confident in his ability to surpass him one day.

Hence the reason he took offense in the redhead's initiative as he got the feeling that Akashi took for granted his first place in the upcoming exams. It was certainly not the case, and Fate only rewarded those who achieved.

"What about your own, Akashi?" He delibarately remarked sending a glare to the latter, to only get a subtle smile from him.

"I appreciate the concern, but despite my interest in tutoring Aomine, I won't make you reach the the top so easily, Midorima. That, I can assure you."

Upon hearing his claim, the green-haired boy stared him down with his head held high, the opacity of his glasses due to the dim light reflection accentuated his solemn expression that didn't move the slightest to utter a word or show a reaction.

"Hey. I never said I was agreeing to that." Aomine intervened, not the least excited by having the two of them tutoring him. Really, what sort of bad luck was that? He should have had forced his way against Akashi earlier even if it had meant having his life shorten by half due to a spartan training. At least, that fellow would have let him be instead of meddling with his studies. "If you're bored Akashi, just go find someone else. There's a ton of dudes that are as hopeless as I am."

"You have a point. My curiostiy may be the main reason, but a secondary one drives me into supervising your studies as well, which is your presence at the Nationals. I reckon your strong will to participate in the championship and the fact you wouldn't be foolish enough to fail at final exams. Still, my supervision is only a simple caution." The red-haired boy explained clearly his intention to sweeten the pill.

"Say, Akashi, are you looking down on me?" scowled the navyhead.

"Don't misunderstand me, Aomine." said sharply the redhead, but the navy-haired boy didn't care at all. "Your hopelessness in study is only a direct consequence of your lack of motivation. According to me, if you were to put the same resolve you have in basketball, I'm certain you can attain a good score. Nonethless, I'm not saying that you can easily reach the top hundred even with my tutoring or Midorima's, but you won't barely passing either. Put it bluntly, you will achieve a score that reflect your own capacity. That's what I want to see instead of satisfying yourself with an average score."

"You're completely twisted, did anyone have already told you that?" The blunt remark made Akashi crack a smile.

"So, where are you going to study?" The spiky redhead shifted his attention to the glasses boy.

"The library."

"Understood. I join you after I gather my things."

"Yeah, yeah, you two can just go on your own."

Aomine heard enough and decided to cut short the discussion. Hands in his pockets, he walked past Akashi who followed him with a long gaze that he completely ignored.

"Have fun. I'll study la– Gaaah!" Aomine choked up his words as a hand swiftly seized him by his shirt collar and pulled him back. The navy-haired boy was bellowing his rage at Akashi, supposedly thinking he was the jerk who was dragging him off to the library. But it was none other than Midorima.

"Alright, but we'll start without you." queried Midorima as he paid no heed to Aomine's bark.

"Do as you will."

He gave him a nod, then the green-haired boy tightened his grip around his teammate's collar that was struggling like some wild cat that fell into a trap and meow-ed in anger, while dragging him to the worst place ever in this school, the library.

After regaining his own pace, Akashi ignored the distant shouts that even rain didn't seem to muffle them and walked up to his class, only a few steps away.

When he opened the door, his red eyes roved around the place and stopped over one particular empty desk. She wasn't there.

In light steps, he went over his and grabbed his notebook and pencil case. Having no longer purpose in the classroom, he moved away from his desk, yet his eyes were stuck on the vacant seat, mindful of the volleyball vice-captain's message he had to relay to Ritsu.

He retraced his footsteps to the exit and before he even got to put his fingers on the embedded door handle, someone slid it open and came face to face with a familiar form that let out a yelp upon noticing his presence.

"Oh, good timing!"

"Yoshiwara-san." He politely adressed the girl whom graced a smile in return. "Are you in need of something?"

The class representative hummed her response.

"By any chance, are you going to find Asaka-san?" His eyebrow twitched at the mention of the girl's name. He didn't answer on the spot, instead he waited for her to tell her purpose. "I need to give her this."

Yoshiwara raised up her arm and showed him a small envelop and a cd inside a plastic sleeve she had kept in her hand. He examined those, though in fact he only took a glimpse as he already identified these two items. The cd was a record of their play and inside the envelop were photos of their class at the school festival. This morning, the photography club shared their festival shots to each classes, triggering a strong reaction among the studends who were happy to remember this event. When Yoshiwara came with those, it had caused quite the commotion and had continued all day long.

"Asaka-san asked me to pass them to her so she can make a selection of photos she wants, but I only retrieved those from Himeno-chan minutes ago." The girl let out a faint sigh like she was tired out just by recalling the hardship she had come through. "Unfortunately, I don't have the time to find her, I have to go home immediately due to family matter. I'm very sorry to inconvenience you like this, but can you please give these to her? You're the only one I can ask!"

"Sure. I also have some business with her." As Akashi got hold of the envelop and the cd, Yoshiwara smiled in relief upon having him to take care of this.

"By the way, Akashi-kun, you didn't get the chance to have a look at them too, right? You should take the time with Asaka-san to made your own selection if you're interested. Just write down the number of the pictures you want on a paper and I'll take care of everything once everyone in the class have seen them!" said the class representative enthusiastically. "They're great, you'll see! But for now, I have to go!"

Yoshiwara winked at him and began to skip straight to her desk. Quick as lightning, she packed all her things up and passed by him once again.

"It's still raining down, Yoshiwara-san." He told her.

"Don't worry! I have THIS!" She shoved a black umbrella up to his face, with him having no choice but to stare at it and keep his thoughts to himself as she seriously intended to brave the raging nature outside with it. Under this heavy rain, an umbrella was hardly an option, since she would eventually be soaked to the bones. "Well, see you tomorrow, Akashi-kun! Have fun with basketball practice!"

The girl jumped to her feets and set off, clomping down the hallway and disappeared after a sharp turn.

The classroom reverting to its peaceful atmosphere, the red-haired boy reexamined the two items that she entrusted him.

It seemed that he was bound to find her. His lips shaped into a crooked smile.

Those turns of event, however insignificant it was according to him, were like a nice change of pace. Habitually people scarcely ever requested his help for trivial business, preferring to leave him alone and rely on somebody else to do the job. Inadvertendly kept away from those ordinary social interactions, he kind of found it a bit regrettable for things to be this way when it came to him, but truth to be told, he didn't truly seek their attention either.

Since all the requests were leading to her, Akashi began to walk with a precise destination in mind. If she wasn't spending her time chatting in the classroom, there was a place she would most definetely go when alone – the music room.

He left the staircase and reached the floor where the music room was located. He walked along the hallway as the faintly audible sound of a piano skimmed his ears. Akashi smiled inwardly for his right guess on Ritsu's whereabouts and headed quietly to the said room. Getting closer, the tune that was played on didn't figure on his musical repertoire, much to his surprise since Ritsu generally stuck to classical pieces. Even closer, the repetitive melody was accompagnied by a voice, though from afar he hardly admitted it as a singing voice, he was unable to catch one single note in tune. After walking past the back door of the music room, he proceeded to the front one that was deliberately left open, but stopped midway upon noticing Murasakibara through the window panes that gave onto the room. The singing voice belonged to him, the purplehead was actually striking up an unknown song and this image of him, he must admit, rendered him rather speechless. While the ash blond-haired girl accompagnied him with piano, making a funny face from what she was currently hearing.

A flicker of a smile passed on his lips.

"...All-Star Rangers! We know no limit, only the will to fight! Fight, it's our destiny! Fight, it's the path of glory! And vainquish all~! All-St..."

Those were the lyrics that Murasakibara was singing, or rather was trying to, before Ritsu brought an end to this ear torture session and eyed the giant boy in silence until her mouth slightly opened to speak up.

"You really can't sing, do you, Murasakibara-kun?" The girl turned her blunt statement into a question, to not offense the giant boy who slightly bobbed his head.

"It's too tiring to reach high notes."

"The other way around would have surprised me." commented Ritsu, a beam of statisfaction on her face. "And also, even if you did reach high notes, the result would have been the same. You're too out of tune when singing."

"You're making fun of me." His expression darkened.

"I've never meant to. Furthermore, there is nothing to be shy of being bad at singing."

The purplehead furrowed his brow and glared at her. "Even if we're friends, I won't mind crushing you."

At the threat, the ash blondhead didn't flinch, simply looking at him, believing she wasn't in her wrong. Neither of them were though, so it only resulted in mere child's threat from Murasakibara. In spite of his short-tempered character, his teammate had the smartness to keep his theats only to words compared to a certain greyhead on the team. But he didn't fully negate the fact that he could crush anyone who go against him if the taunt was to work on him. Regardless of his laid-back attitude and contrary to general opinion, Murasakibara had an explosive side, and Akashi acknowledged this side of him as he always witnessed it during games. Although it could lead to reckless strategies, what is treacherous would be to underestimate him.

"And I won't mind you keep on singing." She replied and gave him a smile to lighten the mood. "I was the one who wanted to hear you sing and it wasn't to mock you. On the contrary, it gives you a cute side."

"...It's the first time at school I'm being told I'm cute. It's really strange..." He admitted, giving minimal consideration to the compliment. "I should be happy about that?"

Ritsu chuckled to herself. "It depends on how you feel about it. If you're inconvenienced by it, I won't say it anymore."

Murasakibara plunged into meditation, he stopped blinking during those long seconds – ten, to be precise – and seemingly coming to a conclusion, he nodded nonchalantly.

"Hm...I'm cute."

His innoncent answer almost threw her into a fit of laughter.

"If it's you, I don't mind."

"Oh."

Shades of pink were coloring her cheeks while she exulted silently. Akashi looked at the both of them, whom had yet sensed his presence, and decided to break in right at this instant.

* * *

Ritsu had been defeated by Murasakibara, she found herself at a loss of words by the situation. His sweet words had taken her aback, though there was absolutely nothing sweet in them on the surface. But the feeling they conveyed was warm and pretty genuine.

Murasakibara held her in esteem. That's what it implied. And nothing else could make her happier right now...

When she heard light tread on her back. She directed her attention to the source, noticing Murasakibara's unfazed look as she turned around. The upstanding silouhette of Akashi came into view.

"Akashi-kun! The meeting with your captain has finished?" Ritsu sat up properly to speak to him.

"Yes, not long ago." Akashi stopped near her and greeted with a simple nod of the head Murasakibara who gestured his hand in return.

"Aka-chin, are you free then?"

"It depends on what you're going to ask."

"Why don't we go eat snacks? I'm feeling a little hungry."

"Only a little?" He smirked. "That's rare."

"I ate a lot at lunch. Thanks to Asa-chin." The redhead's eyebrows arched up incredulously, he pressed his gaze on his teammate to further explanation. "She gave me her limited card for free meals."

This limited card was a one of the prizes they won for completing the Haunted house at the school festival.

"So, here the reason why you seem so satiated these days." Ritsu faintly colored up with embarrassment when Akashi's eyes flicked at her. His smirk still plastered on his lips. "You're spoiling him, Asaka."

"Just a little. Since I don't have any real use of it, I thought it'd be a waste to keep it for myself when Murasakibara or somebody else can make a better use." She sent a conniving look to the giant boy who supported her. "I don't regret it, he made the most of it."

"I see, even you can't help it." Ritsu grinned when he alluded his soft spot for the purplehead. "But I'm afraid I have to decline your offer, Murasakibara. I have other obligations."

The latter became sullen, his lidded eyes narrowed even more as he lost interest in Akashi.

"You're busy as always, Akashi-kun." She stated the fact and didn't add more. No reprimand, no piece of advice, no sarcasm, he didn't need to hear any. To the best of her knowledge, Akashi was not a pitiful boy. As surprising as it may sound, he was actually someone who went at his own pace – beyond a doubt a faster pace than common people, but pretty ordinary and established for and within him. So there were no meaning in pitying him. "Is that related to basketball?"

"Not this time. I'm going to study with Midorima and Aomine at the library."

"You're going to study? / Aomine-kun is studiying?" The two voices got mixed up with one another, both hinting their astonishment.

"Final exams are one month away. Now is the perfect time to start revision."

"But Aka-chin is very smart."

"Even so, it doesn't mean I can indulge myself strictly to compulsory education and just be satisfied with common knowledge when I have the capacity to extend it." Murasakibara communicated his thoughts by sending a jaded look to Ritsu who was looking at him with the same intention. No words were exchanged but their eyes told of each other's thoughts : How typical of him. "Maybe you two should also join this study session. This might help you."

"We can?"

"You're free to join."

"I take you at word, then." Ritsu was looking forward to it. After one hour of piano practice, studying was certainly not the first thing that would cross her mind to relax, but with this colorful bunch, this was bound to be amusing and she was sure to learn a few things from Akashi. "Murasakibara-kun, are you coming too?"

The giant boy wasn't up for it for a fact. "Nah, I can study later...much later."

"Murasakibara." Akashi called him out, earning the purplehead's attention. "At this rate, you will end up passing your last days in studying nights and days which could actually drop your efficiency and concentration during exams, and in the worst case, make you fail. I assume I don't need to remind you of the consequences of your failure."

Relunctantly, the giant boy stood up from his chair, walking up to his vice-captain.

"Tiny and too strict..." mumbled the purplehead as he moved past them, proceeding to the exit where he stopped, slowly turned around and said, "I'm going to take my things."

Then without more formality, he began to clomp away.

"Oh, Murasakibara-kun, wait for me. We're going the same way!" She shouted, however the giant showed no sign of waiting. In a flash, she stood up, gathered all the music sheets and hurried to the exit. Despite her precipitation, she casted a last glance at her red-haired friend, not forgetting about him.

"Akashi-kun, are you waiting for us?"

"In front of the library."

She shot a smile and ran after Murasakibara, leaving him with the message and the items he had yet to give her. Alone, Akashi sighed.


	31. Severe perfection (3)

As agreed, the three of them met in front of the library. Akashi set foot in first and came after Murasakibara and her. She studied the place trying to catch sight of the two remaining colorful head. The place was practically deserted, even the librarian wasn't on duty. Only the whispers of a solemn voice and the protest of a raucous voice broke the silence of the place, which belonged without an ounce of doubt to Midorima and Aomine respectively.

"Keep quiet, would you? We're in the library." said the greenhead.

"Screw you! We're the only one studying in this freaking library! Even the librarian isn't even doing his job!" fumed Aomine.

"Aomine, shut up and focus on your exercise." reiterated his teammate.

"I don't get a damn thing!"

A heavy sigh ensued. "I told to use this formula to resolve this problem. What's so complicated in it? Moreover, we saw it this week, if you weren't in sleeping in class, you should have learn it."

"Tsk. It's useless to learn that! I know how to sum, multiply and divide, that should be enough!"

"What are you, a grade schooler?"

"Your teaching sucks."

Moving past a bookshelf, she spotted the two boys studying on a large table along the windows.

"Because you're an idi–" Midorima went quiet as he noticed the redhead, his brow slightly twitched at the sight of the two extra people. The greenhead glanced at them without deigning to turn his head at their sight. Despite the cold welcome, Ritsu greeted them like usual, with a simple smile. "Why this study session gets more and more people over time?"

"It can be pleasant with more people and this can create a good atmosphere."

"Akashi, this is not a party." He replied back, having less and less patience in dealing with the redhead's «whim». "I'm not consenting to that. The more people there is, the more troubles there are."

Paying him no attention, Akashi pulled the chair and sat quietly beside the green-haired boy who kept glaring at him. Ritsu occupied the seat next to Aomine who was sat across Midorima, while Murasakibara choose to stay away, at the table extremity, leaving one vacant seat between Ritsu and him.

"Oi, Midorima, nobody care if you're agreeing to it or not. It's because of you, we're all here. I told you to turn down this tutoring thing!"

"Allow to me to correct. «This» is all your fault." countered glasses boys, his frown deepened. "If you hadn't scored so pathetically on mid-term exams, I wouldn't be here."

"Mido-chin, Mine-chin, you're too noisy. I'm only here because of Aka-chin." Murasakibara butted in, fixing with bored eyes the books on the shelf in front of him. "I didn't want to be here too."

"So no one wish for this study session?" asked Ritsu as she was uninformed of Midorima's duty that was related to Aomine's studies.

"The hell Akashi! You even force them to come!" bellowed Aomine who misunderstood her question, thinking that the «no one» included her as well.

"I didn't force anyone." The redhead answered in poised voice.

"He didn't. In fact, I'm rather happy to be here."

"Hey, do you realize we're here to study, Asaka? STUDY! There's nothing to be happy for!" Aomine highly emphasized on it, like to hammer this taboo word into her head, but she only reacted with a simple tilt of the head.

"Maybe, but it's a good occasion to share study methods, especially when we got top-ranked students with us."

On the mid-term exams results day, a two points difference had Midorima placed second and had opened the way to the top for Akashi who ranked first with a perfect score.

"Tch, don't try to play smart when I'm damn sure your score is not that high." retorted the tanned boy, putting his elbow on the table and rested his head on the hand while staring at her. "Just admit you need their tutoring."

"Aomine." Akashi broke his silence. "Why don't you aim for Asaka's rank or even surpass it? It would be rather exciting."

Ritsu widened her eyes in shock. That was some crazy thing to suggest. She gawked at him who only closed his eyes with satisfaction. At his reaction she quirked an eyebrow, wondering what he had in store for the poor Aomine.

"Asa-chin, what was your rank?" enquired Murasakibara, slightly interested.

"Oh. Eighteenth." Out of two hundred six. That is to say a score that Aomine couldn't even dream on attaining in his life.

Aomine leaped off his chair in shock. "What the...! What about aiming the top hundred?!"

"I was only joking." Though his jokes never sounded like one and never made someone laugh. Akashi didn't really know how to joke, observed Ritsu, sighing inwardly. And for a simple reason, it was nearly impossible to take him lightly whenever he spoke.

"Asaka is in the top hundred, idiot. And your joke was in bad taste, Akashi." Midorima spoke up as his patience ran very low. The study session didn't get anywhere since the little group had joined them. "If you're here to chit-chat, do it later. We're in the middle of studying and this is our main focus!"

A strange guy like Midorima could hardly bear any disruption in his stringent daily routine. He seemed to put himself under a strict way of life – always following the same and repetitive routine he had established himself. His lucky items and Oha-Asa horoscope were a part of it, though she didn't solve this mystery as for why he relied on these on daily basis. However, this particular character could make him quite reliable in time of disorder. Midorima was a boy who only followed his path and others were beaten tracks that bordered his own. He couldn't get sidetracked and would always keep focus of his daily objectives, which were right now the study session that turned out to be a chatting group, much to his displeasure.

Therefore, that's when his strictness became a necessity. Like an authorative figure, he would condemn those who strayed away from the right path. But in spite of that, people hardly listened to him as his scolding sounded more like a complain than a demand, and created unintendedly more trouble.

"If you like studying so much, do it alone!"

"Yeah, I'm not in the mood to study." declared Murasakibara in lazy manner, almost letting a yawn slipped his mouth.

"Then get ou–"

"Aomine, Murasakibara. I leave you the choice." The redhead delibarately cut him off before the greenhead provoked the purplehead. He examined his two fellow teammates across the table. "I will exceptionnally let you study on your own instead of keeping you against your will."

"What are you saying Akashi?"

The latter threw a brief sideway glance to the perplexed green-haired boy and smirked. "However, do not assume, I would allow any slacks in your revisions. The week before exams, I will test you personally and if I were to judge your level insuffisant, I will take the necessary measure by turoring you everyday till exam days. Moreover, I do remember that club activities are suspended one week before exams...So we'll have plenty of time to «study»."

The emphasis on the last word wasn't a good omen. Sensing the pending danger, the two boys in question prevented themselves to reply something stupid.

"Or choose this current option, that is, reviewing lessons little by little."

Even if Akashi presented it as a choice, to everyone this was clearly a threat. Aomine and Murasakibara wouldn't choose to be teached by this demon every single day, hour, minute and second just before exams; it was absolutely out of the question.

Upon reaching this conclusion, the giant boy averted his eyes with annoyance and the tanned boy was irked.

"Let's start."

...In that field, there was only boy she knew that had this authority in him and it was Akashi.

Scratching down her answers on her notebook, Ritsu perked her head up and glanced around the table. Starting with Murasakibara, he seemed to be more concentrated on fighting drowsiness than his actual exercise; then her gaze fell on the red and green duo in front of her, Akashi was currently correcting Aomine who stared blankly outside the window in wait, while Midorima had his nose on his study, his green eyes switching restlessly from the textbook and his notebook, not caring about his surrounding since the vice-captain was supervising everything.

"Aomine, I should say you exceed my expectation."

The silence broken by this incredible claim, the whole bunch shifted their attention to the placid redhead who kept his eyes on the notebook he had in hand.

"I've never seen so many wrong answers in solely one english exercise."

"I'm japanese. I don't care about english."

"Even if you said that, you write all your answers in katakana. Your japanese is far from being correct, maybe we should make you learn the very basis of it before learning another language." noted Akashi as he raised his eyes up from the notebook.

"Ah? Whatever you say, I know how to speak and write japanese!" protested the navyhead, annoyed by the remark. "I'm not that stupid."

"Then tell me how you did come up with this answer in question seven. When they asked how the character's day ended, you answered «With a headache». You even misspelled the word."

"What, he didn't? That text was too long so I thought the dude must have had a damn long day! And look, I still correctly answer the question."

Akashi heaved a sigh. "Basically, yes, you're not wide of the mark but it is meaningless if you don't get a point."

Like the two others, Ritsu was amazed by what she just heard. No offense to Aomine but that was some high-level of stupidity, and everyone could agree on that. Writing everything in katakana, this could only be thought and done by him. Even Akashi was unable to stay quiet about this prowess. Indeed, he did exceed his expectation – in the wrong way though.

Midorima, picked by little curiosity, glanced over some of his answers and regretted it soon after.

"Did you even read the text?" He asked, unable to repress the question after witnessing the epitome of idiocy.

"I don't bother reading what I don't understand."

The greenhead was about to snap anytime but he lifted his glasses up his nose bridge and let the silence do the talk.

Hopeless was the word that crossed everyone's minds.

Akashi gave the notebook back to the tanned boy and called out the purplehead. "Murasakibara, lend me the Modern Japanese textbook you're working on and take the english one."

"Eh, but I'm still using it."

"Yes, still using it and still at the very same point you were fifteen minutes ago." Murasakibara pouted his lips as the red-haired boy had noticed him dozing off, and he slid the textbook to him. The vice-captain opened it, flipped the page, skimmed through it before he turned it over to Aomine. "Comment this. Write it in correct japanese this time, no katakana."

The latter looked askance at the literary text, full of japanese characters and words he didn't even know. "Oi, what are you playing at, Akashi? Since the start, you just keep changing subjects"

"Evaluate your level in every subjects. I am merely observing today. The next session I'll teach properly."

The next session? Aomine was getting lifeless, understanding he would never have peace if he didn't study a little to get rid of Akashi. He groaned loudly and looked into the text that was nothing more than gibberish.

Upon seeing his teammate study, the red-haired boy shifted his attention to the girl in front of him.

"Have you finished, Asaka?"

"...Not yet. I have the..." Ritsu stated with no conviction. She had been stuck for almost ten minutes with the most nerve-wracking exercise of all.

"...The MCQ to answer. I know."

His accute observation made her gasp in surprise. To say he even noticed that...No details slipped from his eyes. Ritsu closed her eyes in exasperation and gave a vague sigh.

"T-Then why are you asking?"

"You are taking too long time on it. MCQ are supposed to be answered quickly."

"It's easier said than done, Akashi-kun." The latter didn't press on, just keeping his gaze on her. Ritsu stared back in reflex and went on, uncomfortable by the long gaze. "Some questions are really tricky, no, the given responses are. Don't you question yourself when the answer is too obvious or hesitate between two answers?"

"I don't." He threw off his short response. Ritsu expected no less from the honor student. She never saw him hesitating and it wasn't a MCQ that would be the first thing to shake his confidence. "But, I must say, overthinking is a nasty habit you have, Asaka. You're wavering quite easily."

She didn't negate it.

"You're no good." At the remark, Ritsu pulled a long face, foresighting an immediate lecture from Midorima. "Your doubts are only revealing a lack in your study. MCQs are on tests to make you gain quick and easy points, not the contrary. Either you know or not the answer, just decide on an answer, don't dwell on it."

"That's pretty half-assed."

"What is half-assed is hesitation."

She lowered her eyes down on the textbook and looked over the multiple choices – One correct and four others wrong. Could this choice be made this lightly?

"...You deserve your second place."

The boy remain unaffected by the praise, seemingly taking it more like an obvious praise.

"You have some self-confidence, Midorima. Since I met you, I have never seen hesitation in your eyes."

Midorima drew his lips into a thin line and continued to glare at her, like she was bothering him with stupid statements. "Confidence are not enough to reach the top, it's just a factor among others."

"What about the other factors?"

A blank ensued. From his silence, he didn't want to carry on. He wasn't shy about it but lazy to tell the obvious, well what he thought obvious. Ritsu didn't press on and stared at him delibarately, wondering if this could work on him. Since Akashi always managed to make anyone spill everything by a single eye contact – A bit embarrased to admit it, it worked on her as well – she wanted to test it on him. And to do it, she amusingly decided to perform a little imitation.

Eyes to eyes, Midorima slightly frowned with annoyance to be outstared in this strange manner. Her face was blank, her gray-blue eyes kept pressing him to force a word out his mouth as she was trying hard to not blink too much. Each second, his irritation built up, more and more, to the point he couldn't hold it. This was getting on his nerves.

"Don't look at me like that, Asaka. I don't know who you're exactly trying to imitate, and if my guess were to be right, your imitation of Akashi is terrible."

"Oh. So it was convincing enough for you to recognize him?" She chirped, proud of herself.

"Don't be full of yourself...! It was only my guess." He replied at his wit's end.

"But the fact remained you thought of Akashi-kun!"

Midorima threw sidelong glance at boy in question. "Why are you staying quiet?"

"Well, she managed to make you talk. So, it's not bad." Put bluntly the red-haired boy, knowing of her intentions.

"Don't encourage her, Akashi." He huffed, irritated to have been made a fool of. "Really, I think we should keep our conversation to a minimum."

"It is already this way between us, Midorima-kun. That's why it's pretty awkward when I talk to you."

"Because we have nothing in common."

Ritsu shrugged her shoulders and gave up on the greenhead's case.

"As if you even have anything in common with people in general. You're the weirdo." spoke up Aomine, way too casually for his teammate to keep a cool head.

"I'm not here to make friends, unlike you." Midorima answered back in a condescending tone.

"Hm, I come too. I'm hungry." Murasakibara pushed back his chair and got on his feet without having their vice-captain's permission.

"I guess it's about time. We've been at it for almost fifty minutes." The latter simply nodded in agreement. "You can take a break, just make it fast. "

Right after he said that, the green-haired boy to his left followed the movement under the gaze of his comrades, feeling oblige to justify himself to clear the situation.

"Why are you coming?" exclaimed Aomine, annoyed to have him on his heels.

"Club activities will start soon, I need to eat a little before."

"Just do it before we go to practice!"

"Why are you so against the fact I– Wait, you're not planning to run off, are you?"

As Midorima gave him a black look, the navyhead made a face and hurried himself to the exit along Murasakibara, followed promptly by the glasses boy after he picked up his shovel. Their loud bickering kept on until Akashi and her heard the door closed.

During those few seconds of silence, the rain that she completely forgot of was still pouring outside. She stood up from her chair and advanced toward the window, looking dejectedly at the morose scenery.

"It doesn't want to stop. I hope it'll calm down before the end of club activities or it will be awful to come home under this rain."

On the window reflection, she saw Akashi perked his head and slowly turning it in her direction.

"By the way, Asaka, your vice-captain had charged me to inform you of a change regarding practice." Facing the redhead, she waited for him to deliver the message. "Exceptionally, the volleyball club practice will take place in the same gymnasium as the basketball club second-string. But changes might occur before then."

"Huh? Is there some problem with the gymnasium we're using?" inquired Ritsu, startled by the information.

"Not one that requires the transfer of the volleyball club to another gymnasium." He thought pointless to go into details since her captain was certainly negociating with the studend council and set up a new deal. But as the quizzical look on Ritsu's face didn't fade, he explained it briefly to her.

"For sure, Hibari-senpai wouldn't let slip that injustice. Especially if it hinders our practice before the Nationals."

"Now, I can understand the rise of the volleyball club to national level. Hibari-san and Kazehaya-san are emanating rather strong auras. Likely, your team have promising elements."

"You could at least say «players»." remarked Ritsu, faking a pout.

"I didn't say it in a bad way. Elements are undistinctive pieces that are put together to create harmony as a whole; in this case, a team. While players characterize oneself, one ego." He looked into her gray-blue orbs and then his gaze slightly averted to the rainy scenery. "A player doesn't need a team to exist."

She didn't stir an eyelash.

"You're part of the harmony team, but your ability as a player is what decide whether you break it or maintain it. Perfectly well-balanced teams are rare nay they are an ideal simply because there are all kinds of players. Weak, strong, prideful, indecisive, straightforward, introvert, etc... all this sorts of characters influence the team you're part of as an element."

She couldn't comeup with a decent reaction, apart silence. His words were awfully wise and pragmatic. Like most of the time, she talked to him. Akashi always had this matter-of-fact attitude and tone but this objectivity that most of the people couldn't have to put things into perspective without a certain amount of time, Akashi had it. Although this may make him extremely unsensitive and distant, wise words were always spoken to help and assist people, in whatever form they were said. That's what she convinced herself of whenever he became this sharp. He wasn't basically bad, he was just too rational to the point of creeping people out. Because being overrational is not normality.

"Everyone has a place as an element, but those are limited for players. You have gained this priviledge, Asaka and it is the best for you to fight for your position as a player."

This bitterness she felt deep within, was it a sign of her weakness? If he felt the need to say it, it meant she had yet to show him what he expected of her, and more the fulfillment of this promise was still far away.

"Say, Akashi-kun, you said I was neither weak nor strong back then. Is this still the same now?"

"Why do you ask?" replied back the redhead, piercing her with his gaze.

"No, never mind. I was just wondering at where my current level is." She admitted in defeat before turning back to the window. This was a stupid question, so of course he wouldn't bother to answer it. She breathed a long sigh that was overlapped by Akashi's voice.

"You're on the right track." She slightly raised her head and looked his reflection on the window pane. "It is your sole path anyway. Since you're not weak, your evolution prospect only allow you to become stronger, not weaker. It is only when you reach the top that you can learn of weakness."

Since they were no need to grow stronger when they were no more goals nor challenges, concluded Ritsu inwardly. So she could only become strong. They stared at each other through the window reflection. No wonder Akashi and the other had this strengh in them. It was their only path.

That thought made crack a smile, she swung around and faced him.

"Then, in your case, is your evolution bound to grow stronger or weaker?" Akashi turned to be surprised, which stretched even wider her smile. "Your perfection is one factor that makes me wonder about you. Is your perfection a way to reach the top or a fact that legitimate your place at the top?"

"That's an interesting point." He finally said as she managed to force a soft smile out of him. "If so, let's keep an eye on each other's progress and see how this will turn out."

"Oh, you're unsure of your own path?" She asked in a teasing manner.

"No, this is just a way to confirm it to you."

They exchanged conniving looks, both accepting this little secret between the two of them.

"Or putting it more bluntly, this is just a way to teach me a lesson." Ritsu declared with a mischievous smile while walking back to her seat.

"Recently, you're being less formal with people."

"Do you want me to be with you?"

"No. I did state one day I find you cute this way."

Shocked, Ritsu almost missed her chair as she was about to sit down. "D-Don't say that out of the blue!"

Akashi vaguely tilted his head and quietly looked at her in a satisfied way as she sat down, flustered by his words.

She sighed under her breath, regaining her composure, and looked at the scattered textbook and pens over the table as the chairs remained vacant.

"They're taking a while."

"It leaves me time to give you this then." Her red-haired friend opened his copybook and handed her the envelop containing the festival photos and the play record. Ritsu inspected them with surprise. "Yoshiwara-san asked me to give you these since she had another commitment."

"You're doing the errand boy today?"

"Most likely."

She chuckled and thanked him after. Without waiting, she opened the envelop and took the photos out. As she was about to view them, she sent a look to him. "Have you seen them?"

At his negative response, Ritsu stood up once again and went to sit down beside him.

"Let's watch them together."

And so began their photo views. Quietly at the start, then livelier as they went on on their little activity. When they came upon the pictures of the play, she couldn't help but have a smile graced her face. She took a peek at him and closed her eyes in happiness. It was a moment full of passion, be it Akashi or her, they had both lived this instant to the fullest; and seemingly it was an event he actually cherished.

Ritsu continued to view the photo in a cheerful mood until her smile faintly faded. Yet there was one regret she had about this festival, even though she didn't want to admit it.

"Look, they even manage to take a photo of your dance with Himeno-san." With the same gaze that she had at the end of the festival, she looked on them in a vivid memory of it. Despite the fact it was a distant shot, the blissful face of Himeno and the quiet expression of Akashi was clearly read on the it.

The redhead made no comment upon the photo nor the event. He didn't need to add any to something that had been settled days ago. After the festival, the whole class had learnt from Himeno mainly that even after suffering a proper rejection, she still hadn't given up on her prince.

"I never had thought you would go for a dance with Himeno-san." insisted a little Ritsu, to have at least one reaction from him concerning this event. Since the festival end, she didn't ask him anything related to it .

"It would have been rude of me to turn her down after the effort she made to talk to me again."

"If I knew you were so compliant that day, I would have invited you to dance." She jested to cheer herself up.

"I wouldn't have minded."

Ritsu awkwardly gasped in shock and gawked at him. "Y-You don't have to say it... But is that true that you would have accepted? I mean I'm taller than you, so it would have been awkward...for you, right?"

"Asaka." While sighing, he pushed back his chair and leapt to his feet. "Stand up."

"W-Why? Don't tell me you're offended by what I said?"

"Stand up."

After breathing a sigh at her turn, she left the pictures on the table and did as she was ordered. Akashi placed himself between the windows and the table as she looked askance.

"Do you think I'm small?"

She didn't dare to reply. "...I-Is that a trick question?"

Akashi didn't bat an eyelid and passed over her reaction. "Then I'll rephrase it. Do you think you are tall?"

Unable to catch his intentions, she went with the conversation flow. "I am..."

"But for me, you're not. Physically speaking, I won't deny the difference, yet you're far from being superior to me."

"Ah?!" she exclaimed confusedly. The moment she was about to retort, Akashi suddenly pulled her by the hand toward him. Their bodies close to one another, he put his right hand on her waist and raised his left one up. Being this close made her heart leapt and stared blankly at him, having no clue he was scheming as they were likely in a dancing stance.

"W-We're not going to dance, are we?...In the library, to booth."

The latter didn't respond immediately which rendered even more nervous.

"It is true that for the bonfire dance, our slight height difference would have been obvious, just as in this configuration, when we are face to face. However, there really is not much difference between us like this."

Up close, his head stopped to her eyes level, but she couldn't call him small when his red eyes stared deeply into her gray-blue ones – in actual fact, she didn't even find awkward to be like this with him.

"If neither of us think of it as awkward, do you think people will even remark this small detail? Before paying attention to others, you should only think of yourself."

Ritsu gaped silently. What a stupid girl she was, blaming herself for this sad note at the end of the festival. She was too kind as she had guessed upon watching the dancing couple, and certainly too conscious of others to act. Maybe becoming a bit more arrogant wouldn't do her any harm.

"You're ri–"

"Mine-chin, is it me or your bump on your head has gotten bigger?"

"This is what happened when you can't stay still."

"How could you hit me with the shovel? At least, apologise to me, you mor–"

The three loud voices suddenly fell silent upon crossing gaze with the weird couple. Ritsu and the three others widened their eyes in shock as no sound could come out of their mouthes due to the extremely embarrassing moment.

Midorima closed his eyes to gather the necessary patience to cope with the situation, Aomine was utterly confounded as his eyes were so widened they could pop out and Murasakibara blinked and blinked to no end.

"...W-Why...when you two are left alone, I happen to see you two glued together...?" inquired the greenhead, unable to accept this kind of reality.

"You guys come at the perfect time." declared Akashi, paying no attention to the awkward situation. "Asaka needs to learn a few things. So, I will ask you, do you find our position awkward or natural?"

"W-W-What the...! Is that some kind of punishment you do to her? Look at her!" shouted the navyhead as he pointed his finger to the ash blond-haired girl.

Ritsu burried her face with her hands and was so confused she didn't hear the rest of their conversation. And the cause of it didn't felt any embarrassement from it.

Truthfully, only him could manage to ignite so much emotions in her. And even on rainy days, a fire could be lighted.

So, did you enjoy this chapter? Hehe, Akashi and Asaka's relationship progress smoothly, which makes me quite pleased by how this chapter turned out, really (maybe some passages were a bit rushed, if not that would have been very long) It was one of the few ones I apprehended, but much to my relief, I managed to put all the elements that I wanted for this chapter.

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**Hehe, that's a lot for Asaka's character developpment and it's only the beginning. It continues on the next chapter (more lightly).**

**Aha, that's all for now guys. You all are my support! Thanks you very much for keeping reading this story this far and for new readers, glad you join in! This story still has a long way~ before it comes to an end!**

**Feel free to leave some reviews!**

**See you at the next update!**

**To Oneworld111 : Aha, what a coincidence! I like these kind of coincidence! And Happy birthday to you! (I'm very late though! Sorry!) But I hope you had enjoy the second part of the present! To learn you read such a plain chapter for your birthday had made a little bit guilty, haha... Anyways thank you for your cute review, it had made my day when I was writing!**


	32. Forseen distance (1)

_After thirty chapters updated, all I can say to you is THANK YOU for favouriting, for following and for taking your time to write reviews for this apparently long story because as you can see it's a freaking double update again! Anyway, I truly appreciate your support and I might repeat myself over and over but well it's thanks to every one of you that I came to really enjoy writing this fic!_

_**SilverSapphire34523** \- Thank you so much! Like Akashi said : «Time will tell us.». Aha, let's hope for the better!_

_**Human Marshmallow** \- Ah, the duel chapter is also my current favorite chapter (Action and me usually makes two) but I'm really happy to hear that the last chapter had find its way to your heart! Hehe Himeno was really something, but sadly she won't ever reappear in the future. I just created her for the sake of the play! Anyway, thank you for the great review!_

_**Ranguren** \- Thank you! I try to make their relationship as fluffy as those two can, that is to say not much... But yeah I'm glad to hear they looked cute together!_

_**Silver Hydrangea** \- Hehe I'm so happy by your review! Thank you! I love making the GoM intereact together, they make such a lousy bunch! The Asaka-Akashi relationship is truly a slow one compared to the other members but who cares if they were already together it would be the end of his story! Just kidding._

_**Oneworld111** \- You put some pressure on me...Aha, I'm joking. I can only say that you keep encouraging me through your reviews so thank you so much!_

_Now, to answer Silver Hydrangea, Oneworld111 and certainly silent voices' question about Akashi being jealous of Murasakibara. Honestly, you surprised me to have pinpointed such minor detail in Akashi's behavior. I thought it would go unnoticed since past over it very quickly and didn't detail it as it probably should have...but you somehow guess right. I can't give you a correct answer to it because I don't want to affirm it...yet._

_Shall we proceed to the next chapter?_

_Good reading everyone! And feel free to leave some reviews whenever you want!_

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After practice ended, the girl chattering burst forth here and there in the locker room as all the idle talks blended with one another accompanied with the creaking sound of lockers being opened and some echoing thuds that was followed directly by groans, setting a rather rowdy atmosphere in this narrow place.

Amidst the racket, Ritsu opened her locker and rubbed her temples worn out by the harsh practice. Since the Nationals was soon upon them, their coach and Hibari had been stricter regarding everyone's training menu, to the point they even managed to shut Hoshino's mouth during practice for a week now. But this inflicted silence was not without consequence as everyone knew it well. When Hoshino met silence, chaos was somewhere near.

Scarcely had Ritsu had the time to put in the locker her sport clothes and take the light blue shirt of her uniform out of it, her locker door was abruptly shut and in a dejected motion, she looked back at the responsible.

"Everyone, let's go to the karaoke!" Suggested the ravenhead that barged into the room, causing the racket to tone down by half after hitting the metal door with one violent knock.

Ritsu instantly tired out, the radiant beam on her face shone so brightly that it clearly showed how much energy Hoshino still had in her; and in comparison of her, not all the girls had any strengh left in them to go singing for one hour or even more.

Her gray-blue eyes roved around the small room, catching all the exasperated looks of the other members. Some of them didn't even pay heed to her, like this was the case with Kazehaya. Sat on the small bench, the long auburn-haired girl was unlacing her sneakers, keeping her focus only on it as she was giving more importance to her shoes laces than Hoshino's babble.

"For once, get your priorities straight, Hoshino-san." But apparently, she still kept one ear in tune with her surrounding. As she said this, she removed her sneakers and put them on her locker without a look of sympathy to the ravenhead. "At this rate, we'll do without you this summer."

"Hear that, Masame? I won." The latter slightly jerked her head back, offering a wide grin to the captain who just irrupted into the room and stood by the door upon hearing the bad news; while behind her back a trim form was standing on her tip-toes in attempt to take a peek over the captain's right shoulder. Although the rest of the members only saw a tuft of platinum hair behind the tall form of Hibari, they knew right away whose head it was since there was only one girl on the club that had to stand on tip-toes most of the time, their manager. "Hey, everyone, it's our captain's treat! Free karaoke! Yay!"

"Crap, Kazehaya. You're not her mom! Let her be, damn it!" Hibari rebuked her for being bossy, irked to have lost against her raven-haired partner.

"See, I told you not to bet on the first years. Have you ever heard Kazehaya-kun stay quiet whenever Hoshino-kun runs her mouth?" added a chirpy voice on her back. "She's always the first to react. Compared to her, Yagami-kun and Asaka-kun still have patience to deal with her."

Ritsu could see the team manager's head happily swaying back and forth. Despite being in the team shadow, a sunny character like her always managed to convey her joy through her actions.

"That's freshmen's innocence!" Behind the captain's left shoulder, she raised her arm high pointing the ceiling with her index and was likely taking the pose for dramatical effect.

After the undesired observation, Hibari groaned as she threw the towel around her neck at her back, which fell on Hareki's head. "Their naivety is killing me...and I'll go broke because of it! Aaah, so who's coming?"

She walked up to her locker and slapped the auburn girl's head on her way.

"You two made a bet again?" A soothing voice broke amidst the loud cheers of other girls before it was soon engulfed by it and this left her with no reaction from others. Close to the voice, Ritsu and Hoshino heard and turned to the girl who was fixing them with a gentle smile, not caring if she had been heard or not.

"Yup, on who will react first when I suggest karaoke!"

"It's a silly bet...Is that an idea of yours, Hoshino-senpai?" said Ritsu in a half-heartened tone.

"Who cares? Anyway, we have to celebrate our last practice before Hell." Ritsu just shot a forced smile when she heard her compated the upcoming exams to Hell. It said it all concerning her studies. She was pretty sure the ravenhead still hadn't touch one book to prepare for exams. The helpless gaze she earned from Yūzuki was seemingly confirming her assumption, though the latter coped with the situation rather well as she looked pretty used to it. "Wanna tag along, Yūzuki?"

"Sure, it's been a long time since I heard the great–Ah!" Before she could finish her sentence, an orange-haired girl jumped on her back and leaned on her shoulder, beaming with excitation. "Komaki-chan!"

"We haven't been at a karaoke lately! I'm up! I can't miss the performance of the Enka Queen!"

"That's true. That was since your official entry in the team with Kimi-chan. That came as shock for you, isn't it Asaka-chan?"

The mention of the surname provoked a fit of giggles inside the group of four girls. They all had a clear memory of the numerous and spectacular «Enka Queen»'s performances – singing at the top of her lungs, turning simple words into a powerful melody and gesturing as she felt deep down the song running through her body. All in perfect synchronisation with the seasonal scenery unfolding on the screen as the lyrics appeared.

Whoever had witnessed for the first time this side of the girl in question were marked forever and had their heart melt by her powerful voice.

"I wonder who couldn't be." She answered Yūzuki who was poking Ugai's cheek over her shoulder while Ugai was staring at her with big round eyes, her cat smile on her lips telling her how excited she was to go the karaoke. "After that day, my image of her had completely changed."

This memory had left her mark on her heart. Her «first» encounter with her happened at the welcome party thrown at a karaoke for Yagami and her. And the least she could say was that the shock she received from it was comparable to the eminence of the girl.

"But who got the idea of naming her like that?" Mischevious looks circled around the three seniors, as if remembering the brith of the Enka Queen.

"Hareki! She's the first who called Kaze–"

"Hey, Kazehaya, you better come with us! Or I'll be left with only bad singers!"

The said girl finished zipping her skirt and perked her head up to Hibari. "I've never said I was relunctant to come. It's been a while since we last went to the karaoke, and you're treating us so I don't need to hold back."

"Tsk." After a brief checking of her money inside her wallet, the wavy brown-haired girl burried it inside her school bag and heaved it on her shoulder. "At least, I won't waste my money for just crap."

"Hibari-san, if you do want to save money, there is actually someone who can help you doing that. Karaoke shouldn't be her priority right now, leave Hoshino-san behind." The vice-captain put forth her idea. "Anyway, she's bad at singing."

As Hibari seemed to consider to the suggestion, the ravenhead had to butt in, it was in her nature. The tall girl moved away from the group and kicked Kazehaya's back, causing the latter to bump on her locker.

"I was the one who suggested the idea, you jerk! Like it or not, I'm coming."

"You should treat her nicely, Hoshino-kun. It's thanks to her, you won the bet!" Instantly Hareki became the next target of the boisterous girl who disliked the very thought of being grateful to the auburn haired-girl. Hareki only giggled, the least worried of the situation she put herself in.

Brushing aside the start of the small bickering between the two - three girls, Hibari clapped her hands and shouted across the room. "So, everyone's ready? Those who're coming, raise your hands so I can see how poor I'm going to become by the end of the day."

As she proceeded on her inspection, a slight frown indicated her exasperation by the several raised hands. But her eyes didn't catch sight of two hands in the air; one wasn't raised for a unknown reason and one was simply missing.

"Our two first-years aren't coming? Asaka, you better have a good reason for not coming. And where's Yagami?" She noted, folding her arms over her chest.

"What, she's still practicing?" Hoshino raised the question, looking at the other girls.

"Apparently. Lately, she has been practicing even later than usual. I sometimes see her continue practicing before I go home, when I'm always the last one to leave the club." Noted the Hareki. "But, habitually, you're staying with her, Yūzuki-kun."

The accute observation had brought all the attention to her. Yūzuki and Yagami often sticked together, whether it's outside or inside the school walls, they both formed a quasi-inseperable duo.

"Don't all look like we have argued. Even if we're childhood friends, we're not always glued together." She replied with a light chuckle, her voice remaining as calm and soothing as usual. "She needs time to practice on her own."

Sceptical, the girls exchanged looks without anyone getting to a conclusion. When a curt comment broke in.

"At least, she's a girl who knows what her priorities are." said Kazehaya matter-of-factly, subtily making a cutting remark to the tall ravenhead.

"Rin, did you say something to her?" Hoshino directly accused her.

The girl undid her ponytail and ruffled her hair, after then she deigned respond to her. "No, I have nothing to do with it this time. Is that an initiative of yours, Hibari-san?"

"No. But if she finds it necessary, let her be. As long as she doesn't go overboard, I allow it. I'll talk over it with her and the coach tomorrow." The captain scratched the back of her head and went to the exit.

"I'll go check on her quickly." The quiet girl with black hair grabbed her school bag and hurried herself, but her movements were cut short by the vice-captain.

"Don't. Asaka, you go check on her." Ritsu caught the brief gaze of the auburn haired-girl. As her surprise didn't fade, the auburnhead gave her a reason not to be. "You aren't coming to the karaoke, then we'll leave her case to you. Yūzuki, we're going."

The gentle ravenhead casted an apologetic gaze to her, trailing Kazehaya that led the move.

"Off to the karaoke!" shouted Ugai, cheered by the others girls.

On the depart, most of the club members emptied out the locker room. Hibari was the only one left, looking at the last girls who walked down the hallway. When she confirmed there were no one else, she turned to Ritsu.

"If you find anything weird with her, tell me."

"Have you noticed something about her late practice?"

"No. She always has been working herself out this way, even under my guidance." Her captain stretched a faint smile. " Actually, there's nothing to worry. It is certainly the pressure of the upcoming games. For both of you, this will be your first steps onto national-level competitions. The level is high and so is the pressure to win."

Hibari locked eyes with her, a straight gaze that plunged into her gray-blue one.

"And that pressure, you don't seem to feel it. Not as strong as I expected, to say to the least." She closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she seemed to keep some other remarks to herself, and averted her gaze to the hallway. "You know, I'm taking a huge gamble with two freshmen on the team. To tell the truth, you're both lacking experience to even participate in such high competition."

"Then why are..."

"Don't even try to ask. I made my decision long ago, I don't need to go back on it." Her captain motioned her hand to quell her. "...If you ask questions, you're wavering, Asaka. You may have made great progress in term of achievement as player, but you're still lacking in mental strengh. And this mental state, Yagami has it, even if her progress is slower compared to yours."

Something tingled in her heart, that stirred this weak side of her that she had yet to understand. Confidence and strengh she had it, all those qualities that were necessary to rise. She worked on them just as Hibari told her when she took the spiker position. But this mental state, was she meaning it to the girl she was or the player she had to become?

"Don't look so serious over trivialities." Hibari stepped toward her and flicked her forehead. "I did tell you I'd kick you out of the team if you weren't strong enough. Is that the case?"

"Fortunately not." Ritsu replied while rubbing the painful spot.

"Exactly. I trust both Yagami and you as much I do toward the rest of the team. It's sort of my duty to trust into people, even if it implies taking risk; or else how could a team possibly evolve?"

Yet this was not mere blind trust. What she meant was acknowledgement of one's capacity, which could offer a wide range of possibilities for a team to know of evolution. Unswerving and yet tolerant to an extent were the terms that defined the impression she had of her right now; and it reminded her of him, Akashi. Through her captain's words, this singular trust and expectation that he had for this stranger named Kuroko slowly made sense to her. In spite of the unfavorable remarks, he took the risk of trusting a stranger because he had acknowledged something in him, as for what the mystery remained.

Akashi had the benefit of hindsight to view things in a larger perspective and the maturity to take insightful decisions, which could actually be very disturbing when confronted to his clairvoyance. He was smart everyone knew that fact, but everyone expected him to lack of experience that someone older had, just as any freshmen that just discover a new environment. However, those who were close to him could only agree on the fact that he may not have the experience of a third year, but his maturity equaled or even surpassed them. His earlier appointment as a vice-captain had been long debated by many, qualifying it at preposterous to assign this position to a freshmen; but Akashi only acted as he was expected no more, no less and naturally closed the pointless debate.

With hindsight, the one who had somehow proved to be as astute and sharp as Akashi was none but Nijimura Shūzō, the captain of the Teikō basketball club. Without his acknowledgment, would Akashi even be the authoritative figure he was presently so quickly?

"A captain's duty is rather stressful or so it seems."

"Certainly not something your small shoulders can bear, Asaka." Hibari laughed it off. "As long as you keep hesitating, you won't go very far."

When she knitted her brow by reflex, the brown-haired girl pinched her left cheek and grinned in amusement. "...And you'll eventually be disliked."

"Aaaah...By who?" She asked, now rubbing her burning cheek. But Hibari shrugged her off and just strode away down the hallway with a mischievous smile plastered on her lips, waving nonchalantly at her.

"Guys don't like indecisive girls!"

She heard Hibari shout at the end of the hallway, forcing a sigh out of her.

When she disappeared behind the door, Ritsu exit from the locker room and crossed the hallway where the crepuscular light shone through the opened door leading to the court. As she drew closer, the clear sound of balls being it and landing on the parquet floor with reverberations made her haste her steps.

At the door, she saw the jumping silhouette of Yagami smashing the ball in an attempt to hit likely one of the three water bottles that were scattered around on the other side of the net.

She missed and clucked her tongue with a shred of frustation. The moment she was about to take another ball from the trolley, Ritsu offered one to her.

"Asaka, you're still here? What about the others?" Yagami blinked, surprised by her presence.

"They went to the karaoke to celebrate our last practice before exams."

"Ah, surely Hoshino-senpai's idea."

Ritsu answered with a simple nod of the head, Yagami vaguely reacted, eyeing her briefly and returned to her activity.

"So, they're sending you to check on me before going? If that's the case, tell them that I won't take long with my practice today. Have fun."

She tossed the ball high, ready to jump.

"They have already left."

On the verge of jumping, Yagami stumbled on one foot and catched the falling ball back. "Then, what are you still doing here?"

"I'm not going with them. So, I have been told to check on you before going home."

"They could have just quickly send Tomoe to do that instead of bothering you."

"Well, Kazehaya-senpai insisted on me. According to Hareki-senpai, you have been training later than usual." Yagami raised her nose to the ceiling while exhaling deeply.

"Are they worried?"

"Hibari-senpai isn't, the rest of team doesn't seem to be either." Like her captain said, this image of her practicing late had been part of the volleyball club ordinary scenery. All the members knew of her deep involvement to the sport and she was respected for it. No worries, no questions, just acknowledgement of her diligence – Among the team, Yagami was reputed to be the girl who stood the longest on court. Even alone, she would remain. "They were more worried about the fact Yūzuki-senpai wasn't with you than your later practice."

Yagami smiled knowingly, amused by the silly thought. "Even as childhood friend, you can't expect us to be always together."

"That's for sure. But you two don't help us in thinking the other way too. It's much rarer to see both of you apart than together." Ritsu replied lightly. "Moreover, you're both playing volleyball."

"You have a point." The navy haired-girl cocked her head vaguely to one side as serenity softened her smile. "Still, it's thanks to it that we're so close."

"You learned to play it together?"

"Not exactly, my interest in volleyball came from Tomoe. Without her, I doubt I would ever have touched a volleyball." admitted the navyhead while making the ball between her hands bounce on the floor.

Ritsu turned to be mildly astonished upon her declaration. In light of her passion for volleyball, she thought the reason was deeper...She smiled inwardly, thinking how silly this thought was. Interest or passion didn't need a real reason to be aroused. There were no point in asking or judging how such flame could burn within a person, it only happened. It was a natural process, but too natural to be put into words. Passion didn't born out of nowhere like people commonly imagined, it followed logical steps. The more feelings one put into something, the more simple curiosity changed into interest and could escalte into passion. Curiosity was the essential factor - that one developped inconsciously to eventually become passion.

"But here I am. Being part of a team and playing in competitions. It's all thanks to her in a sense."

"I envied a little bit your close relationship."

Her volleyball partner casted a quizzical look at her. "There's nothing much to envy. No matter how close we are, it remains as friendship." Then, the girl kept gazing at her. "But, I wonder how you did become interested in volleyball."

"I have nothing much to say about it. My reason is close to yours. A relative of mine introduced me to the sport and I like it."

And this what had led her to love volleyball this much, just as Yagami. Her reason for playing was a simple one, there was nothing to be shy of. Coming to question the very reason of her love for volleyball would be a precursory sign of disinterest.

Ritsu was free from doubt regarding the sport, and along music, it was certainly the two sole things she didn't call into question.

"From that time, my parents enrolled me in a volleyball club and I played there for almost three years until I entered this school."

"I see. Your experience in volleyball comes from it, as well as yours in competitions." noted Yagami as she shifted her attention to the three water bottles. "You seem pretty relax compared to me. Before I came here, I never competed. Tomoe and me only played it at school during sport classes or for fun with other kids of the neighborhood."

"Ah, it was only local competitions. Nothing comparable to what we're going to experience this summer."

The two girl started chuckling, this summer they would both stepped into the national stage – a world that would bring a new light to their favorite sport.

"Nevertheless, you're awfully calm despite that. I don't know if it's because you hide it well or not, but Hibari-senpai and Kazehaya-senpai are both concerned by it." Yagami merely stated what she heard and unintendedly confirmed her captain's observation, which made her even more perplexed.

"Hibari-senpai mentioned it to me, but I don't really get what more they can expect of me."

Back on her practice, the navyhead was seemingly more focused on it than their actual talk. But Ritsu also shrugged it off, watching the springing form of her volleyball partner as she spiked the ball, targeting the water bottle placed near the right side line. She missed it by a centimeter, the bottle was still up and Yagami turned to the trolley just as immediately.

"Neither do I." Surprised that she continued the conversation, Ritsu rested her eyes on her. "But if you want my opinion, since the captain made you play as a spiker, you've changed. I think I kind of understand now why she assigned you to this position instead of a second setter. You have found your place inside the team."

Indeed, she also felt that change in her. Her debut as a spiker was kind of awkward, especially as Hibari had literary thrown her on the court without prior notice during an official game. But without this pressure she had felt during those times, she was sure she wouldn't have build up this strengh in her and gathered enough confidence in her play.

The spiker had lesser responsabilities than a setter, the brain of the team. Practically all actions depended on him and set the pace that others had to follow. It was a heavy burden and one needed to have the shoulders to carry every decisions, either good or bad. With hindsight, if Hibari and the coach had chosen her over Yagami, maybe her growth wouldn't have been so quick.

"You think I'm better suited as a spiker?" Ritsu threw a ball to her partner, staring at her curiously.

"I don't know your worth as a setter, I can't tell. You do have qualities to be a setter, but for now I concur with the seniors, something about you doesn't seem right."

"Er, beg my pardon?"

The navy haired-girl let slipped a simple gasp of surprise as she seemed to realise what she just blurted out.

"...Oh, well." It was said and with having nothing to hide, Yagami shrugged her shoulders and went on in the same casual manner. "It's just a feeling I have whenever I see you play. It's true that I like your new style, it's way more assertive than before...but you don't seem as involved as everyone."

As a short blank filled their discussion, both of the girls blinked at each other.

"Anyhow...it must be related to your current calm state. The Nationals are approaching and you act just as usual, while even the seniors are tensed by it." Yagami rolled her eyes to the opposite way then sighed. "It's my mere assumptions. You should consult the coach or the seniors."

Ritsu gave her slow nod of the head and left the conversation as it was. Her teammate could help her to have a better perspective of her surrounding but as both freshmen, she was also lacking in experience; therefore at some point, their talk would have reached an impasse.

At her response, Yagami resumed her practice to perfect her smashes. "Don't worry about it. The captain and particulary Kazehaya-senpai aren't sparing me either. You can have doubts but you shouldn't dwell on it too much if you have no answers to it."

Interrupted by a familiar ringtone, Ritsu stopped half-way and took from her school bag her cell phone. A flickering blue light indicated a new message and thought it was certainly one of her senior who wanted to be up on her check on Yagami. She rested her eyes on the screen as her eyes widened with surprise upon reading the name on it.

That was a first. Really. This was the first message both of them had exchanged and the contents made her gasp faintly.

[_I'm with your little brother._]

No greeting, no smiley, only this declaration. Midorima went directly to the heart of the matter and this rendered her quite baffled. For their first message, she was so surprised that she wasn't the least elated by it. Instead she wondered in what sort of situation he could have been involved that necessitated him to send her this strange message.

On the other side of the net, Yagami momentarily bore the same quizzical look as her.

"Is it from the senpai?"

Upon hearing her voice, she snapped out of her daze and faced properly the girl.

"Ah, er...no..." She said as she tapped a reply to him. "It's from Midorima-kun."

"Midorima, you say?!" The name of this particular classmate had provoked in the girl the same suprised reaction. "Y-You two are texting buddies?..."

"You're very far from the tru–" As she read the new message, Midorima didn't enter into detail, he only mentioned a location and that she had to come get her sibling. She didn't believe it.

"By the look of your face, this guy is even weird through texting." remarked Yagami, staring at her with half-lidded eyes.

"Aha...Sorry, Yagami. I have to go! See you later!"

In her haste, she only half-heard the navyhead bidding her goodbye and ran out of the gymnasium in direction of the train station.

Left behind, Yagami heaved a long and tired sigh and raised her nose upwards to the panes where the sky was adorning this dazzling array of flaming colors before nightfall.

"Maybe it's not too late to join the seniors at the karaoke. It should be...interesting."


	33. Forseen distance (2)

After getting off the train, Midorima put carefully the book he was reading in his school bag and made his way out of the station under the astounded gaze of passerby, though he didn't pay attention to it. He had other priorities to think of, and it was his studies for the upcoming exams. Only one week remaining before the fated day on when he planned to take over his red-haired teammate's first place. For this day to come, he had been studying diligently everyday at school and at home, never late on his own revison schedule he had established – two hours and thirty minutes, no more, no less, followed with a series of stretching exercices to keep a good blood circulation, especially for the brain, and only after that he would relax and sleep in peace with a sense of accomplishment.

Down the street, he was marching at a steady speed, keeping his eyes straight and not his nose down on a book as he was noticing here and there some high schoolers reading or certainly revising while walking, which he found the action completely useless and idiotic because it could lead to troublesome situations and wasn't a very efficient way. It gave the impression of one to gain time in their studying but one was more focused on avoiding people than actually learning.

"Look, you can't even do that in pratice, Asaka!"

"Shut up! I can!"

On his way home, high-pitched voices, or rather the familiar name had managed to force him to look on a street basketball court where four boys, who probably ranged from forth to sixth grade, were playing at the said sport. As he watched them, one detail struck him and it was their clothes. They were all wearing the same school uniform that his little sister was attending.

"Bleuh! Almost everyone in the club can do a layup except you! As if you can do it on a higher rim, idiot!"

"Height has nothing to do with it! Even if I can't do it, I can shoot!"

"Everybody can shoot! It's not a cool move! Layups and dunks are the best and the coolest moves in basketball!"

He stopped on his track and turned his head mechanically to the little brat who was talking absolute nonsence, then his eyes slid to the seemingly-most-intelligent boy of the group. The latter was facing the three others, a scowl on his face while his fist were tightly clenched as he beared with their mockers.

"You can only shoot! Even then you miss most of the time!"

"Give me the ball! I'll show you!" The little boy snatched the ball out of the hand and dribbled toward the rim. After passing the three-point line, he stopped brutally and motioned to a shooting stance. While the three other boys had their eyes stuck on the ball, Midorima already knew that the shot would miss and resumed his track. The chesnut haired-boy momentum had been so abrupt that his form had suffered from it as he didn't have the necessary balance to deliver the ball correctly.

The mockery of the trio started again and confirmed his guess.

"See! You suck, Asaka, you loser!"

Still, it was rather unsettling for him to know that those brats attended the same school as his little sister and that they were speaking so badly of his speciality. Little brains couldn't understand the importance of shots during a game.

"Shut up! Even pro don't always make their shot!"

"Bleuh! Only a loser find excuses! You won't..." The little brat looked up before he gaped upon seeing a tall form standing behind the chesnust haired-boy, but his surprise didn't last long just as the spark of lucidity that had commanded him to stay quiet. "What do you want, Nii-chan?"

"I'm here to–"

"Hey, are you stupid to wear a red cape in broad daylight, Nii-chan?" said one of the little brat, interrupting him as he looked askance at the long cape that was fasten around his neck.

"I was speak–"

"What! You want to play the hero! Is that it? Soooo laaame!" cut him off the tallest of the boy, pointing his finger at him.

Although he had been interrupted twice, the trio insolence didn't affect him or at least shouldn't affect him, he convinced himself against those childish remarks. They were only kids. So he perfectly knew that retorting to them in the same manner would only worsen the case.

Midorima locked his eyes on the trio as he waited to regain composure. But the trio continued to make fun of him to the point that his eyes narrowed with slight annoyance, not to say exasperation because the ugly face of Aomine popped on each boys of the trio. Right now, it was like he was facing three mini versions of the navyhead and his patience suddenly ran low when he spontaneously associated them to his rowdy classmate. There were idiots everywhere.

"H-Hey, that Nii-chan is strange. He's only looking at us weirdly..." Having no response to their provokation, the little trio exchanged confused gaze.

"We should go."

"Yeah, he's too weird. He's coming out of nowhere and he says nothing..."

Just like this, the trio abandonned the basketball court and joined the main street from where he had come from.

Seemingly his efforts had been rewarded by Fate. As expected, wearing his lucky item on him increased his luck. Satisfied with this outcome, Midorima exhaled, yet he couldn't help but crack a crooked smile after finally having the calm back.

"If you think a cape makes you a hero, you're mistaken, Nii-san. You're so lame."

Despite the remark, Midorima stared back at him silently, focusing on the familiar pair of gray-blue eyes that scrutinized him like he had come upon an alien. He was of the same family as her, no doubt. He had the very same gaze she had at their first encounter.

"But thank you though." said the boy out of politeness and went to fetch the basketball under the hoop. He picked up the ball and glanced curiously at his «savior»'s form as the red cape he wore lightly swayed in the wind. "Nee-san have strange friends."

"You are Asaka Ritsu's brother?" asked Midorima, reacting to one word instead of minding the whole statement.

The chesnut haired-boy bobbed slightly his head and continued to stare at him like an alien. "Oh, you must be Akashi. She told me you're the weirdest guy she ever met. So it's true!"

His lips almost curled into a smile which he tried to hide with the simple movement of adjusting his glasses. As regards strangeness, his rival was indeed an oddity among others – smart with no apparent flaws, not resigning himself to use the word «perfect» to qualify him. Akashi embodied excellence, not perfection; he conceded to this. Nonetheless this superiority was of no threat to him. He aimed excellence as well and spared no effort to reach it. The gap between greatness and excellence was insignificant, nothing that could undermine him and his self-confidence. Those who strived for excellence were generally favored by Fate. Constant efforts shaped one's path and Fate would decide. For him, one's life should be as simple as it : put all the chances on his side to achieve and reap the fruit of his achievements with Fate guidance.

This wasn't a strange path, but rather an obvious one that tended to be forgotten by many as one took everything for granted after a simple stroke of luck – He depised it.

"I'm not Akashi." He replied, lowering his eyes to the small boy.

"Eh, no way?!" exclaimed the smallest and surprised the green-haired boy. "Because Akashi is weirder than a guy who wanders with a red cape and takes himself for a hero!"

"For you guidance, I'm not weird, but Akashi certainly is to some extent."

His incredulous gray-blue orbs were stuck on him, or more precisely on the red cape, hinting him clearly that he didn't swallow one word. Likely, the little boy considered him as an oddity and Akashi as an existence beyond this world, or so this was what he caught from his shocked expression.

"It's not nice to slander other people when you're not better, Nii-san."

The reproach had momentarily cut short any urge to react. He was used to draw attention or to be laughed at by kids because they couldn't understand the purpose of his lucky items; but he had to admit that being reprimanded by a kid caused a mixed feeling within him. For the first seconds, his loss of words manisfested his bewilderment that soon turned to exasperation as his serious nature took over once again.

"True. Still, don't be wrong about me. This cape is my lucky item for the day." He clarified with his ever-serious tone.

"Nee-san doesn't oftenly mention you..." He said in half-heartened tone. "And now I know why she doesn't speak a lot about you...You're the «Midorima»."

Midorima's expression flattened by his bluntness, his lips drew into a thin line, preventing himself to make a comment and thus stop the little boy from running his mouth.

Before his silence, the boy moved past him and approached the hoop in an attempt to make a shot.

"She's kind of amazing to cope up with two aliens. Even her volleyball club members aren't that weird."

Turning a deaf ear, Midorima walked away, trailed by the chesnut haired-boy's curious gaze that had stopped dead on his shooting stance. He placed himself on the side of the basketball court, having his back on the chain-link fence and then he grabbed his green cellphone inside his school bag. After choosing the name under Akashi's, he looked intensely at the message screen, wondering if he had to add salutations or not when texting the girl. Even if he didn't have any affinity with her, this didn't mean that he had to be rude to her, even through a message. However when his eyes fell on the smiley list, it irked him so much that he tapped the content in a flash and pressed the sending button before sighing like this was a chore.

"What are you doing? " The chesnut haired-boy lowered his little arms down and eyed him suspisciously. "You're not leaving?"

"No. I'm contacting your sister and wait for her to pick you up." He said in wait for Ritsu's answer.

"Eh?! Why!"

"A grade schooler shouldn't play outside this late."

As he informed him of his intention, Midorima earned another shout from the boy, which he shrugged off without replying anything else.

"Mind your own business, Nii-san! Don't you have other things to do? It's soon the exam period for middle schooler!"

He quietly adjusted his glasses, having the slight impression of dealing with Aomine and Ritsu combined in one body – Aomine for the loud mouth and Ritsu for the brain. How tiring.

"Of course, I have." The moment he was going to take out the book he was reading on the train, a ringtone interrupted him and read the reply before sending his instructions. Almost instantly he got another message that made him sighed in relief. "Asaka is on her way. You have enough time to play until she arrived."

"Hey, Nii-san, have people already told you're not funny?"

"I don't need to be funny."

The chestnut-haired boy threw him a hopeless look that he returned back silently. Dejected, the smallest swung around and resumed with his shot attempts in wait for his sister.

Although Midorima busied himself with the book, he couldn't help but keep an eye on the boy's clumsy shots and focused on his shooting form that revealed some imperfections. With the correct adjustement, his chance of making a shot could increase. However, this wasn't his job to teach a kid. Following this thought, he kept silent and only observed distantly the little boy.

* * *

Meanwhile, after a twenty-minute commute, Ritsu ran down the main street and reached the outskirt of a residential area, knowing precisely the direction. The basketball club that his little brother had freshly joined was in this district, she sometimes came there to fetch him when their schedules coincided.

Even after twenty minutes passed, she was still a bit suprised from Midorima's message and precisely his encouter with her sibling. The possibility for them to meet was one out of a million, such coincidence couldn't happen without a twist of fate. She didn't see that coming, certainly the same for Midorima. While running, she was struck by a fit of chuckles, merry of imagining their confrontation. Her sibling was blunter and more incisive compared to her while the green-haired boy already had trouble to deal with overly straightforward people, and the least she could say about it was that patience wasn't his forte when it came to people in this particular category.

Well, Midorima wasn't basically a bad person and her brother may had a sharp tongue most of the time yet he knew how to behave with people. In any case, even if he didn't, Midorima wouldn't keep the conversation very long and stayed quiet.

At the sight of a green and chestnut duo on a street basketball court, she slowed down and gazed at them. It was as she guessed. Midorima was standing straight like a pole and reading a book while her little brother played basketball. She made her way to them and stepped onto the court.

"Shōhei!"

Upon hearing his name, the chestnuthead perked his head up to the source of the call.

"Nee-san!"

As she walked up to her sibling, Midorima closed his book and did the same.

"You're finally here."

One silly detail on him had drawn her attention and she forgot all about the formalities.

"...D-Don't tell me you wear this red cape all day."

"I do."

"Even during basketball practice?"

He slightly hesitated to answer the question, though he kept glaring at her. "...Don't be a fool, Asaka. It wouldn't be convenient to play with it."

"...Or rather Akashi-kun was against it." She swore she saw him cringed as she probably nailed the truth. His reaction brought a soft smile. He was as distant as ever. Ritsu and him kept looking at each other silently, then the greetings done, she dropped her gaze to her little brother.

The little boy's eyes swept from her to Midorima and the other way, a little intrigued by the strange flow of their conversation.

"Are we going, Shōhei?"

"Ah! Nee-san, can I play a little more?" He said as he pleaded her with his eyes. "I'm getting a hang of my shots!"

Ritsu gave in, motioning him to make the most of it. "Not for long then. It's getting late."

Her brother bobbed his head happily and resumed his activity. After then, she glanced at Midorima and smiled.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Midorima-kun. And thank you for watching over my little brother."

"Don't mention it." He returned back to his previous spot and his eyes slowly drew to Shōhei's practice. Ritsu followed his motion with her eyes as she soon stepped in the same direction as him.

"You're not going home?"

"Are you expecting me to?" He shot a sidelong glance at her when asked twice the question. First the little brother, second her.

"Kind of. Nothing holds you back here now. I can keep an eye on Shōhei, don't worry about us."

"By the time he finished playing it will be already night. I can't go home like nothing and leave a girl with his little brother alone when it's getting dark."

Ritsu pressed her lips with surprise and gawked at him.

"...I wouldn't have a clear conscience about it and that would keep me from studying efficiently."

Somehow a distant echo from the their second encounter rung in her head. Just as now, he wouldn't admit his concern toward her, yet the second part of his explanation was so full of honesty as she could easily imagine him be annoyed if he wasn't in perfect condition when starting things.

"I can't even tell if you're being awfully honest or not." She gasped and Midorima just coughed awkwardly to her comment.

"Then don't question it!"

In a second, Ritsu moved to surprise from laughter. She didn't mean to stir him up; unfortunately she was part of those who had the knack of getting on his nerves.

"S-So...! What are you doing around here...?" She changed the subject while trying hardly to suppress her fit of laugher despite the dark glare.

"...I'm living in this neighborhood." He replied, hinting clearly his exasperation. Still in the process of regaining her composure, Ritsu had her mouth covered with her hand, hiding her smile to not stir him more than she already did; and stared silently at him. Midorima turned a blind eye to her effort and returned to somebody more serious, that is to say Shōhei. "Your brother is going to the basketball club of this area?"

"...S-Since it's not very far from his school, it was the best choice. You know about it?"

"I was in this club. I first learned basketball there." He answered curtly, not caring to enter into detail, and went on calmly. "By the look of things, it's the same for your brother. He seems new to it."

"So you can tell." Ritsu vaguely tilted her head and rested her gaze on her little sibling.

"He's not playing volleyball?"

"He should?"

"Never mind."

It was easy to tease him, but better to keep it low, thought Ritsu.

"More seriously, Shōhei is not interested in it. Apparently volleyball doesn't seem to provoke something in him, the same goes for other sports. He tried many, but he didn't feel any real interest in every of them. So I suggested him to play basketball since it was fun the last time I played against Aomine-kun."

"He told us you never scored against him."

"Well, outside P.E classes, I've never played basketball. So you can't expect me to win against a regular of the basketball team." She rationalized her poor play against Aomine as she gave him sheepishly smile. However, from his long gaze, the latter was seemingly waiting for another answer. As nothing came, he sighed.

"I don't understand what is fun about losing, Asaka. Don't you have any sense of pride?"

"There is nothing funny about it. It's just the game in itself that was." She replied, knitting slightly her brow, which didn't escape Midorima's attention. "Because for you, if there is no win in the end, it's no fun?"

"You should strive for victory in whatever you're doing. That's what brings the fun instead of some plain satisfaction from such a pathetic play."

Ritsu sighed deeply in defeat then made a eye contact with his firm gaze. Midorima was true to himself like always to say to the least – never looking back and keep track of his own path. His ever-serious mindset had been established within him long before she met him and forced him to keep a narrow mind to concepts that he seemingly considered as secondary on this path to the top. Something so strongly rooted couldn't be changed, it was as Murasakibara's nonchalant character, there was nothing to do but accepted it – no matter how divergent their opinions were regarding some aspects of life.

"I can't beat your solemnity...Though I can understand your opinion. Nevertheless it was only a friendly game. Aiming victory when there is no actual purpose for it seems a bit absurd."

"...At the festival, you fought Akashi with all your might despite the fact it was a mere play. Do you think it was absurd to aim and fight for victory at this moment?"

Her eyebrow arched up when Midorima prompted her this carved memory in her heart. She gaped momentarily, astounded to be asked this out of the blue. Looking aback, this urge to stand on equal to ground to Akashi had been so powerful and extremely natural to even have the time to call it into question. How strange...

"No..."

"Yet, you still had fun." As he reached this conclusion, she was at a loss of words. They both stared at each other silently.

"Really, I always thought you were kind of strange but in actual fact, your way of thinking is rather ordinary, Midorima-kun."

Because she grasped the view he had of the word «fun». For him, fun only stemmed from one's best efforts. It was a rather common thought that had lost its meaning due the banalization of the word «effort». Everybody could do effort, but rare were those who didn't give up on them and worked hard in hope to achieve.

"So,you'll do everything possible to reach your goal. That's amazing to keep at it so fervently."

Midorima broke the long eye contact and smiled faintly. "«Man proposes, God disposes.»"

Her eyes faintly widened in surprise. At this precise point, he lost her on the conversation. Catching a little glint of incredulity in her gray-blue eyes, he went under explanation with a certain relunctance of speaking the obvious.

"It's true that I will do everything possible to fulfill my goals. However I will also push all my chance on it. With these two conditions together, I can assurely tell you that Fate is on my side."

"F-Fate...?!" She cried aloud in utter shock, drawing the attention of the little boy who eyed them suspisciously.

"With my daily commitment to my own purposes, I don't have to worry about my luck. Fate favors the victors, that is to say those who accomplished."

In just one explanation, Ritsu had finally understand his dedication to Oha-Asa Horoscope and his lucky item. Fate was one of the factor that he had talked about during the study session. He would aimed for the top with every means possible and let the outcome into Fate's hands. Now, everything became clear...especially on his quiet approach concerning praises. This wasn't indifference nor humility, but Midorima's acceptance to fate's choice, whether the outcome.

"I-I take back what I said. There's still a part of strangeness in you."

The latter remained in his silence after he finished what he had to say. Sharing the same feeling, Ritsu had her fill of emotions for the day and left the conversation as it was.

The two teenagers carried on watching the chestnuthead dashing to the hoop in a vain attempt of scoring with his highest jump, which didn't even reach the net.

"Oh. He stopped with the shots." Noticed Ritsu in a casual manner. "He'll soon get tired of playing."

"Talk about half-measure."

"It's only a kid, you know. At his age, it's quite hard to keep an interest for something very long unless he finds the thing that will trigger something in him." Upon realising her own words, the ash blondhead slowly turned to Midorima and her eyes examined him down until they stopped on the red cape, which gave her a curious idea. "...Maybe you could do a little demonstration. You're a player of the famous Teikō basketball club, Midorima-kun. Shōhei might come to like a little more basketball after seeing you play."

The suggestion made him react mechanically. Meditating, he lifted his hand and put one finger on his glasses to adjust them, after then he eventually spoke.

"Why should I show your brother how to play basketball? I don't have free time for this."

"It's just a little demonstration. I don't ask you to do something crazy, just do something you usually do during practice." Midorima didn't seem up for it. "Moreover, it's rather easy to impress kids."

"Then, how come he didn't like volleyball?" pinpointed the green-haired boy with perspicacity.

"I don't know." She offered him a sheepishly smile. "You have an idea?"

"That's what I'm asking you!"

"Really, I don't know. Perhaps he didn't feel anything from my own passion. But with a character like yo–"

"Nee-san, let's go home." Cut off in mid-sentence, she dropped her gaze to her little brother who stood in front of the two with no apparent glint of satisfaction or fun in his eyes, only plain disinterest as he already put aside basketball for today. She sent a look to Midorima who certainly had took notice of the same thing.

"You don't want to play the hero before removing your cape forever? You know Shōhei likes superheroes." She insisted one last time.

"Why are you saying it like that? I'm not some helpless dude." replied the chestnut-haired boy, clutching the basketball between his small hands.

Midorima stared intensely at the latter. Shōhei frowned to be outstared silently, wary of his intentions. But as long as the silence went on and that nobody moved a inch, Ritsu decided to broke it.

"I'm sor–"

But she had been unexpectedly interrupted by Midorima himself.

"Don't expect too much from it, Asaka." The green-haired boy stepped forward and halted near her brother. "You're Shōhei, right? I would like to borrow the ball."

Still wary of him, he shot a glance to his sister. Ritsu motionned her head to make him pass the ball.

"What does he want?"

"Just look. Midorima-kun rarily shows off, so you better watch carefully."

Shōhei looked askance as his eyes followed the same direction as his sister. Midorima was standing in the center of the court. After some mental preparation, he started to dribble straight to the hoop, but stopped dead on this track before the three-point line just as immediately he entered into a shooting stance and released the ball soon after. The ball soared toward the hoop in a perfect arc and went easily into it.

Although she didn't mention it to his brother, this was also the first time she watched Midorima playing basketball. He was quite amazing. All of his motions were perfectly timed like he had practiced them over and over to get the correct synchronisation to link his movements.

"That was surely a stroke of luck..." pouted Shōhei, sceptical of his performance.

Midorima who was still standing behind the three-point line overhead him and looked at Ritsu.

"You heard him." She simply said to him.

Much to her delight, he went to fetch the ball and replaced himself at the same spot as he made another three-point shot. The ball went inside the hoop in a swift motion as if it was naturally attracted by it.

"Are you still thinking it's a mere stroke of luck?" asked Midorima, confronting the little boy who ran up to him.

"Do that again! You can't possibly make three three-point shots in a row!"

Midorima executed himself and proved the contrary to the boy.

"No way! Again!"

Another easy shot.

"Again!"

Ritsu observed the exasperation building up inside Midorima yet he still continued to impress the little boy like a hero.

"Woaaaah! Soooooo coooool!" When this full-of-admiration cry echoed on the basketball court, she smiled at Midorima who had nicely done his part. Shōhei was all excited from the greenhead's seemingly unmissable shots. "What's your name again?"

"Midorima Shintarō."

"Oh! Midori-nii-san! Show me how to shoot!"

"It's Midorima."

"Come on, Midori-nii-san!"

The latter heaved a long sigh as the little boy fidgeted happily around him. Today, he wouldn't be coming home early.

At the thought he darted a glare at the responsible of this strange situation. Ritsu just exulted quietly without helping Midorima or bringing a stop to her little brother's excitement.

She only watched them in the distance.

* * *

_«Akashi will be back.»_


	34. Bittersweet naivety (1)

Ten to four. As the ticks of the clock ate away the minutes she gained by coming earlier, Ritsu was appreciating the tranquility of the small café where she chose to meet Akashi. Around her, only faint murmurs covered the afternoon quietude so relaxing and quite typical of the place. Ever since the seniors had chosen the place to throw a welcome party for Yagami and her as to celebrate their entry in the team, she had yet seen it full or even swamped by myriad of voices. Instead, peace always welcomed her in open arms, and she liked this warmth filling the air.

So when Akashi had asked her about their meeting place, the picture of the café naturally painted in her mind, concisous that both of them were assuredly in need of some calm. Him after another restless day of basketball practice and her to begin enjoying the freedom of summer break.

"Hi there, Asa-chan~ It's good to see you." A sleepy voice greeted her, belonging to the young waitress that entered her field of vision. The plump silhouette of a girl appeared before her eyes, oozing a stiff air of drowsiness that always first caught her attention each time she met her.

"Natsue-san, hello!" In response, she merely gave a very slow nod of the head, a quiet smile softly arching like the curved lines of her round face.

Natsue was the daughter of the café owner, and an acquaintance of Hareki from her senior year in Teikō. One year older than the latter, Natsue was attending an old private high school in the eastern district of Tōkyō called Shūtoku if she remembered right, and sometimes worked at the shop to help her parents out.

"You're alone today?" asked Natsue, as she put a glass of fresh water on the table.

"No, I'm waiting for someone." She craned her head and glimpsed at the clock hung high behind the counter. Four p.m. Akashi surely had already finished basketball practice and was on his way to the shop by now. "He must be coming soon."

Just after the mention of a «_he_», Natsue blinked twice while the rest of her expression remained as sleepy as ever. At the reaction, Ritsu gave an inquiring look that didn't find any response.

Instead Natsue said in the most simplest way, almost escaping like a reassuring whisper with her sweet yet toneless voice, "I see...You too finally decide to enjoy your summer break."

Her gray-blue eyes dropped down on the glasse at the table edge. With her left hand, she made it slide toward her. Despite the delicacy in the gesture, the fresh water still swayed and bordered each sides of the glasse with contrasting oscillations. Like captivated by the faint swaying of the liquid, she stared at it and said :

"Earlier than expected."

Not the least betraying a frown of worry or disconcert, the sleepy girl stared at her, as her lips tugged up more and more until they shaped into a perfect curve.

"Hm, I think it's you people in sports club that are being a bit late. Summer break has already started about a week ago."

She listened to that sweet reminder with amusement. Her remark was rather silly in itself, but it only reflected the stupidity of her own reply which sounded more like a mere childish excuse to run away from a truth that was already here.

"Hareki-senpai told you everything?"

"«_It's over_.», that's what Kisa-chan texted me yesterday."

A quite laconic answer coming from a chirpy girl like Hareki.

"That's pretty short."

Her gray-blue broke from the spell of the swaying water, now as quiet and flat as a lake, and traced back to the older girl's face who kept looking at her with the same nonchalant stare.

"I don't think there is much too say about it." replied Natsue in the most simplest way. "I heard your coach called off practice for a week."

Ritsu nodded, tapping her fingers on the glass. "I don't know why he called it off for that long. A day was practically enough to think it over and take up practice again."

She shifted her gaze to the window.

"For now, we can only wait for pratice to start again."

On the other side of the window, people busied themselves like any ordinary day, walking to a side, running to another while talking with one another, on the phone or hurrying themselves to some unknown destination. This quiet stream never stoppped, and she was there gazing upon the scenery from the side.

Only waiting.

Ritsu exhaled, a question slipping through this breath like a vague murmur. "What am I going to do until then?"

As this slip of mind was spoken up, a chuckle tickled her ears.

"Yacchan asked the same thing." When her eyes met the scintillating brown eyes reflected on the window pane, Natsue tilted her head in reaction as she succeeded in catching back her attention, and gave her sympathetic smile. "She was kind of sad for not being able to play volleyball now the competition's over for your team, and wondered about the best way she could spend this week."

Upon hearing about Yagami, Ritsu stayed quiet and stared at the reflection of Natsue's nonchalant silhouette overlapping the unknown and various forms going by on the street.

"She told me she can't wait for practice to start again and play with you all. Yacchan and you are somehow hopeless without volleyball."

Well, Yagami did sound like so, and she had to admit that it surprised her a bit. Since her self-introduction during the first day at the volleyball club, she always saw her as a rather cool-headed girl to whom volleyball held a great place in her heart, but thought that this passion would solely be expressed and manisfested itself on a court. But in all likehood, Yagami sure had a passionnate side that went beyond the simple bounds of a volleyball court.

Hence why the way Natsue put it, she couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Yagami sure is."

Unlike her, she wasn't especially impatient to play volleyball, or at least she didn't look forward to it with the same enthusiasm. She just hoped that by going back on practice she would get back her old and usual resolve.

"That's pretty cute and so innocent too. Middle schoolers are really full of energy nowadays~"

"You're talking like some old man, Natsue-san. Even so you're only a freshman in high school." She made the remark and marked a brief pause. "...Yagami seems to be doing fine. Did she come here?"

"This morning. She stopped by with Yū-chan."

"Oh, Yūzuki-senpai was with her." Although her voice pitched high in surprise, it barely affected her. The team may have split up for the moment, but that pair of childhood friends would always hang around together.

"They decide to go see the end of the Nationals. They're curious about which school will win the championship."

Ritsu lowered her chin a bit and prolonged her silence.

During that blank, Natsue stared at the girl and cocked her head to the side, wondering what she could have possibly said wrong.

"Oh." She exclaimed suddenly. "You wanted to go with them?"

She looked back at Natsue, getting that the latter misunderstood her silent reaction.

"Ah, no, I don't particulary want to go..." Ritsu promptly rectified. In a timid manner, her eyes took a glimpse at the clock. At this hour was scheduled the second game of the semi-final, in which the team they lost against competed – but if victory had had shone upon them yesterday, her team and her would have stood there.

"I was just wondering if the rest of the girls went to go watch the remaining games too."

"Yū-chan tried to ask Rinrin when they met her at a game center. But she refused, she wasn't interested." As the waitress caught a faint reaction at Kazehaya's name from the ashblondhead, she added more to that refusal. "Even if she intented to, she would rather go alone or with a friend than one of you, she said so."

Put it bluntly, she didn't want to see or spend time with _any_ girls of the team. It almost sounded just like her.

Nonetheless, even coming from a unfriendly girl like Kazehaya, this rejection was quite cold toward a teammate. True, Kazehaya may be not the type of girl who loved to chat around with the other girls for fun or took great consideration to blend in the team when situation called for it, but she managed well into being fully integrated into the team. Despite the apparence, she somewhat cared about the team, not to some deep level close to affection yet enough to appreciate all her teammates.

Having her turning the invitation in such blunt way was one unsually cold expression of the girl.

Perhaps was she reading too much into things due to the defeat, but Ritsu decided to raise the pending question in her mind.

"Why especially not one of us?"

"Hmm," Natsue pressed a finger against her round cheek and pondered a little bit, "It's related to your coach's decision...There's a reason for him to have canceled off practice, Rinrin mentioned it to Yacchan. This break is for you all to spend time and think on your own, and not together like a team as you have to do so far. So she doesn't need to go around with one of you as a teammate when she finally gets a full week to spend with her friends."

Ritsu sort of understood her vice-captain's refusal and thought she probably had been a bit too fast in judging her attitude. Kazehaya just acted plainly normal, as she came to realise it. This desire to distance herself wasn't a consequence of defeat but a simple separation from everything related to the club. Because no matter how strong and united their bond was as a team or how much time they sticked together, teammates weren't necessarily friends outside this secluded sphere. It could be compared to coworkers working at a same company. They worked together, created various links but how many of those links actually extented past the professional sphere?

Somehow it was quite naive to hope such a thing, though a part of her often tended to believe in it.

On the other hand, she unconsciously knew how obvious and idealistic it was. When her eyes had rolled over her contact numbers and stopped on her teammates' names, she hesitated in contacting them by e-mail and in the end she never did. It wasn't out of shyness or bitterness, this was only a sign of awareness.

They were girls who shared a common goal and not friends who shared everything.

That distinction she clearly made it when she chose Akashi over them.

"Oh, Rinrin also added that she already sees your faces almost everyday not to miss them. She's more than fine without dealing with the rest of you during her holidays."

A smile was stolen from her.

"Knowing how much time we spend practicing together, it's no wonder that she wants to relax without caring about us or the club. I guess," Ritsu leaned against the back of the chair, giving a furtive glance on the outside, "Kazehaya-senpai may not be wrong about the coach's intention. We all need some change of air."

Natsue nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of change of air...Asa-chan, do you know good spots for spirit training?" Natsue asked out of the blue.

"S-Spirit training...?" She repeated and looked askance at the girl, not knowing if the curious activity was supposed to be for her or not. "You do these kind of things, Natsue-san?"

The waitress shook her head along a short laugh undeliberately accentuating the innocence of her question.

"Gai-chan asked me by email this afternoon. Apparently, she plans to go training in the wild with her big brother and her cousin for three whole days. To steel herself and come back all pumped up for practice."

Round eyes fixed on the older girl, a few biased, not to say silly, images came along her short blank.

"...By spiritual training, you don't mean something like going in the mountain and meditating under a waterfall, fishing fishes out a river with bare hands and sleeping under the stars in a sleeping bag...?" She enquired hesitantly, aware to an extent the silliness of her query.

In her turn, Natsue was short on reaciton for seconds before she laughted.

"Gai-chan wouldn't be able to fight and kill a bear with bare hands though!" She waved her hand off as if to brush away the idiotic ideas. "Or even catch a fish like that."

The pleasantry made blood rushed to her cheeks with embarrassment. Of course spiritual trainings scarcely bordered such extreme – though a part of her easily imagined Ugai giving it a try out of curiosity – Those sort of training came straight from an action drama that her little brother liked to much. And the vague warmth spreading on her face told her that she probably had spent too much time watching it with Shōhei.

Natsue didn't give more attention to it to provok another similar reaction and let that pale shade of red covering Ritsu's cheeks fade as it came.

"From what she said, it's closer to hiking and camping than a harsh training in the mountain." She added. "That's a good way to clear the mind and get some fresh air. In a sense, this could be taken as a spiritual escape. After that, you can view things with a new look and it could be fun."

"Er, training in the mountain is a bit...too much at the moment." She said. "Even though I said we need a change of air, I'm fine with just relaxing and lazing around the town."

"It's true that you don't have to go very far to just relax. In _good_ company, on the other hand," Natsue clasped her hands. For a moment, Ritsu swore to have seen a peculiar glint shining in Natsue's eyes. The instant she tried to catch the meaning, it already had disappeared. "I think a break is not only here to help you relax but create good memories too."

_Create good memories_.

A gentle sound of chime overlapped her thoughts, and her eyes flickered to the shop entrance as if called.

Just arrived, Akashi was there, scoping the café. While his red eyes wandered around for a few seconds, Ritsu didn't signal her presence to him right away, taking the time to put into order her thoughts, and with less solemnity, to look at him.

The air around him was, as ever, just as formal as the school uniform he was dressed in. But although solemn, his calm was part of his natural charm. Sometimes cold and thoughtful, sometimes warm and peaceful, she never got tired of observing this two side of his appeal, though like most people certainly, she had her preferences.

Under such light, she had no difficulty in admitting that he was quite charming.

"...Handsome boy." Natsue mumbled, her hand covering her lips that moved like under spell. Silent for an instant, business call soon caught her up as she heard the cash register. "Welcome!"

Akashi reacted on the spot and landed his gaze on the two girls in a quick yet subtil manner as though he already had taken notice of them since he came in. He greeted them with a simple smile and made his way to the table.

"Hello, Akashi-kun."

"Hi." He greeted the girls back, casting a glance at the waitress, while he was taking seat.

"Ah, this is Natsue-san," Ritsu started a brief introduction. "She works here and is an acquaintance of a senior at the club."

The waitress bowed slightly to make his acquaintance and he responded with the same regard as he introduced himself to her. The shades of pink on her cheeks took a brighter tone, and without hiding it, she gave him a delighted smile.

The introductions made, the ash-blond haired girl checked the clock. Twelve past four. He was on time. "You didn't have trouble in finding the shop, I hope."

"No, your indications were clear enough. Only ten minutes from school, it's a rather short distance to not get myself lost."

She didn't doubt about it. Ever since their long adventure in the Haunted house, she would never question Akashi's sense of direction. He had no difficulty in orientating himself in a pitch dark place, so finding his way in open light would surely not cause him any big trouble.

"Then," Natsue said, not wanting to intrude more into their time. She looked at Ritsu who nodded her head knowingly. " I let you both enjoy your time here. Do you already know what to order?"

"I'll have iced green tea latte." Ritsu turned to the redhead. "And you, Akashi-kun?"

"Iced tea."

"I'll bring you your drinks right away."

The order in mind, she bowed again and returned behind the counter. As the waitress was bustling about there, carefully preparing their order, Ritsu couldn't help but watching her a few seconds. Although she didn't bring it up, she had a nice time talking with her and really appreciated her company. No matter how short their talk was and sudden it ended, she was sure Natsue grasped her feelings.

On that thought, she left Natsue to her occupation and gave her full attention to Akashi sat across her. Quietly he returned her the gaze, she didn't resist the temptation of smiling at him.

"I'm sorry to have called you so suddenly. You must have been busy with basketball practice and briefings." Her voice may betrayed a bit of her nervosity but it changed nothing to her inner feelings. She was happy to see him.

"No need to mention it, I don't really mind." Akashi brushed it off. "That aside, it has been a while since the last time we spoke with each other, Asaka."

"It sure has."

Indeed, their last conversation dated back to two weeks ago – the last week of school – They had talked about the final exams results and the volleyball and basketball championships that were just around the corner.

Since then, lessons were most of the time self-study, so both of them went about their business. When the last day came, they just exchanged the usual formality, wishing the other good holidays. But, even the goodbyes said and summer break began, it wasn't rare to catch a glimpse of the other in the school grounds during their club activities. She happened to see him from afar more than once, and alone or along teammates, he always responded to her gaze.

This reminded to herself, her nervosity receded and let out a soft expression.

"I also miss our small talks during school time." Ritsu declared, glad to hear the same from Akashi.

His wording wasn't as frank as hers yet beneath the subtlety it practically conveyed the same meaning.

"At that period of time, club duties take priority over the rest for us. We can't help it."

For a mere excuse, it still rang right in her ears. Her own practice got her hands full, it were facts, she didn't think bad by using it to explain their little distance. Moreover, Akashi silently assented to it, manisfesting a close opinion.

Nevertheless, even if the facts won over her heart, Akashi's honesty had quickened some tingling feelings inside her and made her a little guilty for not trying to make contact with him sooner. And contrary what she thought, there were a few good occasions where they could have chatted together.

"But since both volleyball and basketball tournaments are practically held in the same period, our practice schedule often matched up..." She paused and used these seconds to look into the red of his eyes. "Maybe I should have used those chances to ask you once to make the way home together so that we could talk a bit. We ran into each other a few times during breaks."

Her smile shaped the same arc line upon his lips.

"If it still stands, I'll take your offer anytime."

"You would?" Ritsu blurted her surprise. More than the answer itself, its rapidity was what took her by surprise. She was quite certain that he would have given a thought before answering, despite the joke intention.

One day he mentioned to Momoi and her that his home-school commute was rather long by public transports, so he seldom made detour on his usual itinerary not to come home late. Adding this to his daily basketball practice and club duties that often kept him past school hours, the day already set down. If she were to exaggerate things, she would say that getting a little of his time was practically a feat in itself.

Furthermore, on regular days when club activities were not on schedule or he finished earlier, it wasn't rare to see him split from schoolmates or teammates at the gates and quitely walk home alone, a book in a hand.

"I guess it's fine once in a while." From one movement of his eyes, he sneaked a look at her casual clothes. "These kind of occasions aren't that bad."

Perplexed, she examined her clothes – a sleeveless white lace blouse and a mustard yellow capri pants. There weren't anything strange. When she raised up her nose, she gave a short yet peculiar attention to the pale blue shirt and the black tie perfectly knotted around his neck.

It was the first time they got to see each other outside school, she finally noticed.

Taking into account what had been said previously, she then asked, "So, you're not against the idea we hang around on days off as well?"

"For the most part, yes." He answered laconically.

Ritsu accepted the reply with a delight. While in truth, she didn't ask that much of him, and a negative response wouldn't have made a difference. Just the thought of him appreciating their time together in general had been a more than satisfying answer.

"But I suppose we'll have to wait a little bit for that."

The basketball championship started the following week and was held for seven days. And needless to say that this major event would be keeping him real busy, though it was already the case. He made an exception for today, she wouldn't be inconsiderate enough to invite him again on a whim. For the moment, they would likely continue with their daily routine at school.

Akashi simply gave a nod. "Your club is already competiting for the championship. For four days now, if I remember well."

Ritsu tensed up, clenching her hands on her tights as though not to let her nervosity surface by concentrating it on them. At this rate, he would surely ask more about the tournament progression.

But despite her anxiety, she didn't hold it against Akashi. On that rainy day in late June, they did say they would keep an eye on the other's progress – To prove themselves.

"It has been very calm around school since then." His voice was inflected with softness, close to a whisper of sincerity that surfaced along the memory of those calm days.

"Ah...er,...I guess cicadas are much better neighbours than the volleyball club." She stammered in both relief and surprise, the latter feeling taking ascendance over the rest. Then, while using the joke effect, she tried to get a more poised countenance and went on, "Since the start of the tournament, days were pretty sustained with matches and game observation. There was no time left for practice anymore. We only came at school to debrief games and review the next one. "

As she ended her sentence, a detail managed to breach the boy's composure. It took her a second to perceive it, and then a minute to realise the cause. She has been using past tense.

_What a blunder_, she cursed herself. But well, far from intending to hide the bitterness of her defeat from him, at least she wanted to decide the proper moment she would tell him it.

"I wanted to keep this for later but since we're at it..." Things said, she took it upon her and let him know. "You won't see the volleyball club for a moment. Since yesterday, we're officially in summer break."

Ritsu inhaled. The chill air slipped briskly to her lungs and pushed back all sort of feelings that were about to crack her semblance of composure.

"...The competition is over for us now. We lost at the quarter-final."

She looked him in the eyes, a mere glance to catch a reaction from him more than an attempt to put on a brave face. In his red pupils, nothing reflected a change of attitude, and the rest of his expression followed.

She wanted to hear him say something about it. Recently, Akashi became an existence to whom she desired to prove herself and with whom she wished to be on equal footing.

"Here's your order."

The sleepy voice made her jump. She was musing so long on her friend's silence that she didn't hear Natsue coming. While Akashi exchanged a polite look with the waitress as she put the two drinks between them along with a part of lemon chiffon layer cake.

"Eh? We didn't order a part of cake." remarked Ritsu, scrutinizing the pastry.

"I know. It's on the house, you don't need to worry." Natsue giggled, leaving two forks next to the dessert. "Yacchan and Yū-chan got their parts too and looked happy when they ate it. So I thought you'd like it. Sweets have that kind of power, no matter what, they can take away all traces of bitterness."

In other words, she should indulge herself in. She stared at the part in front of her again, then with a smile she obliged to Natsue's kindness. The airy texture recovered of a thick layer of whipped cream married with lemon curd, visually left a very sweet taste on her tongue, one that could ligthen the heart in all and any circumstances.

"Besides, we can't have our customers leaving without spending a good time in our café." The waitress added in a business tone, though her sleepy voice made it less serious. "Relax all you want here and since you're here with company, it should be a good occasion to share..." She paused a second, just the time to glance at the part of cake, and eventually uttered, "...good memories."

The glints in her brown eyes seemed to be scintillating with excitement instead of her typical insouciance. Suspicious, Ritsu followed her look on the dessert. This time, her gray-blue eyes widened and blinked as she came to noticed the two forks put next to the plate and the size of the part – quite generous for one person. The two factors additioned, her brain didn't have to make other great calculations to know what it meant.

That part of cake was brought with intention to be shared – she took a look at her friend – with Akashi. Perhaps had she obliged to Natsue's kindness a bit too fast, this on mind. The plate was just under her nose instead of being put right in the middle of the table as suggested the idea of sharing. Likely, Natsue made it in sort the initiative would come directly from her.

When she sent a dumbfounded look to her, the sleepy girl winked at her in such awkward manner that it could have been mistaken as a silent sneeze or blink.

"Well then, if you need something else, please call me." Her task done, Natsue took her leave, an expectant smile growing on her lips.

Alone once again, Ritsu crossed Akashi's eyes that were only abandonning the sight of the pastry before their actual contact. Assuredly, Akashi wasn't being fooled and might have undergone the same logical process as her.

She was hesitant. But once assuming that he noticed everything, she grabbed the cutlery. It would be even more embarrassing if Akashi was to make the remark, though she had no worry about this happening.

"It's a big part. I don't think I'd be able to finish it alone...M-Mind if we share it?" She didn't left Akashi much choice as she already forced the fork upon him and pushed the plate to the middle of the table. "...I'd be a waste and impolite to leave rest."

Ritsu used that last argument to make sure that at least he wouldn't refuse to take the fork, which he accepted. Despite the forceful way, she stopped right there. She suggested yet she didn't force him to eat the cake with her. What was the point of sharing if the other party was unwilling?

However, the picture of Akashi sharing sweets would surely have made a...good memory, if he hadn't put the fork down next to him a minute later. But well, sharing time with him was more than enough.

By resuming the train of her thoughts, she sensed the visual sweetness of the cake melting away and slowly taken over by this faint trace of bitterness that remained stuck in the back of her throat.

Relying on the power of sweets to cheer her up, Ritsu helped herself first.

"So you and your team made your way until the quarter-final."

The voice of Akashi startled her. The delicate movement of the fork sliced the cake with a swift cut and clanged against the plate.

Ritsu craned her head and gawked at him whose placid attitude came into contrast with hers. After Natsue's interruption, she thought this conversation now over. Yet, his interest didn't seem as flat as he made it look, or she should say, as she assumed. Did he just wait for Natsue to bring their order to speak up?

"Y-Yes, the competition was fiercer than expected. Each games were a challenge for our team, and the last claimed our defeat...We were so close..." She let go of the fork and leaned on the chair, giving up on the cake for the moment. Her back straight against the wooden chair, her lungs was filled at their maximum capacities as she breathed in air like some reflex to channel all her feelings with one single inspiration. She then evacuated them all through a simple breath.

"...But the higher we go, the tougher our opponent is, that's a common rule in competition." She added, using a lighter tone to not feel the weight of defeat on her any longer.

"As there always are victors and defeated at the end." said the red-haired boy matter-of-factly.

"That's absolute."

Akashi cracked a smile and was mirrored by her.


	35. Bittersweet naivety (2)

**Good to be back again on this fic!**

**After so long, I wanted to come back with two updates for you readers, but I lost passion halfway. So sorry. I'm still in the middle of writing the thrid part. I'm trying to keep it up. **

**That said, I'm amazed to see the numbers of follows and favorites since the last update. Thank you for reading and keeping reading it! Special thanks to _xMelancholia, jeya mendoza,_ _belladu57_ for leaving reviews. Maybe I'm not saying it often enough but I really appreciate them. Some of you find most of Akashi's interactions 'refreshing' and I'm glad to know that because it is my main goal in writing this fic. I still have a lot of part to improve on, I'll do the best I can. Thank you. **

**Good reading.**

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"...But the higher we go, the tougher our opponent is, that's a common rule in competition." She added, using a lighter tone to not feel the weight of defeat on her any longer.

"As there always are victors and defeated at the end." said the red-haired boy matter-of-factly.

"That's absolute."

Akashi cracked a smile and was mirrored by her.

"If anything, that just reflects the level of our team."

"Is that so."

Ritsu leaned back on the chair and then, brought her hand on the fork once again, her fingertips hesitantly grazing the tip of metal while she meditated on her own words. Swaying between bitterness and sweetness, what she just said left her with this undistinct taste. Did it sound as a fact or an excuse? As a beginning of an answer, deep down, she found it hard to bear this defeatist sentiment which she felt in both. And for someone who tried her best to prove herself, didn't those words somehow undervalue her efforts?

Drawing herself out of pointless thoughts, she grabbed the fork but still didn't know what to do with it. She was unable to appreciate the cake as she would like to, and it forced a sigh out of her.

When her attention came back on Akashi, she saw his lips moving and uttering silent syllabes. Before any questions could form in her mind, the boy gave voice to a piece of his thoughts.

"And what is your team level?", he asked.

She gave thought to the question while in truth she didn't have a proper answer to give to her own statement. Even her wasn't really convinced by her words. Besides, his silent interest also didn't help her to compose her mind. At best, she had imagined he would only esteem and acknowledge this fact, with more or less expression on his face, just as he did a minute earlier. But, it seemed like this half-conviction had reached him to a certain extent.

"High for playing at the quarter-final and low for not winning." Ritsu answered, tilting her head as she tried to find a better formulation. "Or, to be a bit more precise, I'd say a team with raw potential that still have to be polished."

"A lack of experience."

Akashi got the gist of it and she nodded for a lack of ideas. "Hm, well, this could best define our team."

It rather resumed it pretty well. When she thought about it, her team had welcomed two new faces since the start of school year : Yagami and her. And, it surely brought its load of changes inside the team. From the organisation of new formations and combinations, to the search a good balance between all various talents, in just a few months, the team harmony had to change for another rhythm by including the two of them into the melody.

Inevitably, such counter-balance would not be resolve in less than a year. She remembered Yagami telling her that she didn't have any experience in competition and concerning herself, her own experience paled in comparison to what she had gone through in the club. Both were only first-years with few selections in official competitions to their credits, and perhaps that had been their main obstacle on their road to victory.

At this point, she still wondered why Hibari and the coach kept their choice on them. Her captain did tell her that they lacked experience, which undoubtedly dropped the team's strength. Well, far was the intention of questioning their choice, but to fit the actual level of the Nationals, the former team would have increased their chance in victory. This would have been a wise decision, instead of appointing a few ex-regulars as substitutes, or so she supposed.

"That would define everyone." Akashi made the remark in a quiet tone.

Ritsu chuckled, much aware that her too-general statements would not work on such specific matter.

"So it seems." She put the fork down and crossed her arms over her chest, taking a more solemn approach. "As much as I dislike the idea of resuming our game to a simple difference of level, I can't see anything else which could have explained our defeat."

In other words, whatever they did or the team they faced, they would not be able to go higher than this limit defined by their lack of experience. Ritsu pursed her lips at that thought, this indistinct taste in her mouth became more bitter. This unsettling sentiment swirling inside her like a wind of confusion gained in substance, she could grasp little by little a part of this bitterness. Because by saying this, she took conscious she was reasoning as a real loser. Was this game all about victory and defeat?

It didn't sound like her to give it such importance. And yet, she unconsciously did.

Ritsu nervously pressed her lips.

_...A question of level, is it_?

This same question seemed to reflect in Akashi's eyes and glinted with a light intensity that revealed an interest. But a sharp feeling let perceive more depth in that gaze.

"At this stage, I'd not restrict and generalize your team performance and potential to just a level, like bystanders do. Victory and defeat are an inevitable end, but be that as it may, this doesn't necessarily draw a limit in which people fall within. Competitive sport isn't that shallow. As a player, you're aware of it, aren't you?"

To a more or less low degree of consciousness, she understood the general meaning for the most part. Victory and defeat weren't everything in sport, and naturally it shoudn't be restricted to such narrow view. What gave beauty to a game resided, not in its outcome, but in its development. When she plays, the game itself is the main focus while victory and defeat represent a simple horizon.

Ritsu was well-aware of it. Yet, affected by this defeat to some confusing level, she feigned naivety, wanting to hear Akashi follow through with his ideas.

"Somehow...I must be, I suppose. But concretely, what is the general idea?"

"In competition, stakes are stricter and greater than a friendly game and it is rather easy to fall within in a limit and face a wall as victory becomes a priority. Victors are strong and recognized, defeated are weak and denied, such is the standard we are all put in and put ourselves in as well." Akashi explained in a neutral tone, yet a glow in his red pupils seemed to shine on brighter through a vivid spark that she couldn't catch in his voice. "However, playing for and toward victory are two different things. That's what gives dimension to a game."

After letting a few seconds of silence work on the effect and get to her brain, he then added one last thing. "You shouldn't restrict yourself to limits, Asaka. When you're playing, there is only one thing that can stand in your way : yourself."

Ritsu didn't know if her confusion was shown on her face but she found herself speechless. This touch of arrogance that flowed in his words didn't slip past her ears. What a self-centered thing to say, peculiary from Akashi himself. Confidence flowed in every cells of his body, she wouldn't say otherwise, but arrogance would not qualify him. In light of his character, she took it more as a proud side of him. That being said, be it arrogance or pride, it didn't change their roots for people. It still revealed a good amount of self-importance.

And when she added this to teamsports like basketball or volleyball, the total was pretty messed up. For her, inside a team should exist an harmony, meaning a player made efforts in that sense, even if it meant to conform oneself to common standards.

"Y-You mean I should only care about myself?"

"To an extent, yes. Before being a player inside a team, you remain an individual athlete among others." He stated. "Trying to conform yourself to a general level limits your potential."

"So I should just go and play by myself..."

"_For_ yourself." corrected Akashi while kepping the ambiguity. "Even if your decisions and actions won't always benefit your team and be understood by all, you can't always keep supporting your team. Or else, you'll keep running into a wall in every games. And, you won't go very far, whatever your efforts."

This time, his words stamped her mind so clearly that she surprised herself when feeling her nails digging into her flesh. It hurt instead of throwing her into confusion, and if pain stabbed her heart, it only meant she was now facing the real problem. She finally got the rest of an anwser to her question, was it a fact or an excuse that this defeat reflected their level? It was both, a fact because she didn't go beyond the limit and an excuse because she never faced her limits. She was stuck behind a line and waited for everyone to cross that line together, while perhaps she didn't have to wait. Akashi was right, she would not go very far like this...Is that how she hoped – no, intended to prove herself to other?

_So weak_.

This opinion of herself echoed with all various impressions from the volleyball club members to this colorful bunch. For some she had to affirm herself, for some she had to earn people's recognition, for some she had to find her place and secure it. But with hindsight, didn't those impressions all said the same thing about her?

«_You're not weak but you're not strong either._»

"It's still the same after all..." Ritsu uttered dejectedly.

"What is?"

She kept silent, hesitating. If people needed to tell her that she had to impose herself or something alike when they looked her playing, then it meant she still hadn't manage a single step forward. She hadn't changed from the time they first made her aware of this weak side of her. Since she entered the volleyball team, she understood all the expectations falling to her. She made every efforts in that direction, but people still seemed to expect more of her. And it slipped her grasp everytime they told her.

She thought of having achieved rather well, almost the best that could be expected of a first year. This should have been the best way to show what she could do; so why did she feel like she did not meet their expectations thus far?

It hurt her in her pride. Because despite her efforts and accomplishments, in their eyes, she remained at the same point she was when she joined the team.

"...That I'm not weak but not strong either." She answered in a low voice with a bit of shame making her lips shake, and averted her eyes. "You told me that before, and now I kind of understand what you mean. I can't see what I'm supposed to do to go further."

Akashi's lips parted opened, leaving just a thin gap between as though he tried to cover a sigh as a simple breath.

"You can be very frustrating, Asaka."

"W-Where did that come from?" She stuttered, somehow cut in her deep reflection with that cutting remark.

The shadow of a smile passing on his lips, Ritsu frowned. "Even so, you prove yourself to be a rather good challenge. It's quite the sight when you let yourself go."

"I don't really take it as a compliment...It sounds to me like a very rash and desperate way of acting."

"We don't have much occasions to see each other play. However, from the little I've seen of you, it's this spontaneous side that I have sheer fun to face." declared Akashi.

A strong glint shone on in his eyes, revealing an hue of red as rare as the moments she could observe them. Almost crystalline and so pure, as though she could grasp that flame burning inside them.

Ritsu stared at him for a while, her thoughts drawn by the beauty of such gaze and filled with echoes resounding from two words. _Spontaneous _and_ fun_, he said_._ Akashi sounded so honest and gave such carefree notes to his words that she couldn't help but feel perplexed by the whole thing. Even his stern nature aside, Akashi still remained one of the few persons she would imagine express those kind of things so casually. She felt no weight or pression, it just reminded her the simplicity of things, where one could only think and act for himself. Maybe was it innocence or something like it...

"I won't soon forget our duel back then."

"At the school festival, you mean?" followed Asaka, surprised to hear him mentioned this event.

"I had fun on that stage. Against and with you."

Speaking of which, this event was one of her dearest memories as well. She remembered every sensations, every emotions to the tinest details. Her heart had never beated with such wild pulse, her body was moving in light and free movements, all according and in opposition to the boy in front of her. Akashi was her main focus – the one she wanted to prove herself, and to defeat him. In spite the play, their role, the audience, or the inevitable outcome. At that moment, she had only carved for his acknowledgement by holding her head high and fighting until her last breath, even if all along she knew that she had to give up on her victory, and that there was nothing to gain at the end.

"You fought me for real."

"As far as I remember, you didn't spare me as well."

"You too, I came back home with bruises." She countered. "You were so drawn into it. You become really intense when you play."

Looking at things back, her way of acting sure was so reckless. She swayed her wand with intention to hit him hard, she reacted to his movements and protected herself as though her life was on the line...It was stupid to have taken thing to that level. And yet, she still had continued to fight him recklessly for the simple desire to prove herself to him.

"_Stubbornness is your pride and recklessness is your determination. I want you to stand proud and determined on court._" That echo spurted from a corner of her mind, making vibrate her whole being. This was it took to be a worthy player of the Teikō volleyball club, and more generally characterized a simple athlete.

Pride and determination, an athlete didn't need anything else to prove himself to other and walk on his own path. Without a piece of ego, how was she supposed to prove herself to others? Then, without this desire, how could she hope to improve and grow stronger? An athlete took pride for his own achievements first, and pushed further his own limits against anyone. Be it ally or opponent, it boiled down to the same thing, there was no distinction...

"You could have stopped me if it had become unpleasant."

"No, not at all. I enjoyed fighting against and alongside you, I really do, even now. To be honest, it has been a while since I played like this with someone. It brings me back when I was very little. When we're kids, we know no restra..." She stopped midway.

...Like a kid would do when he plays with other children.

During that duel, she also knew no restrains nor limits because she only wanted to have fun with Akashi. When she fought against him, never had she deemed herself unable to defeat him. As a bystander, she would have compared herself with him, thinking she would not be strong enough to be his equal given his great performances. From the side line, it was easy to judge and make someone fall within a limit. But actually, did all of that really matter when playing? No, if someone played for the fun, who cares about the difference of level or talent?

There is no such thing as a level between teams, even in competition...Players should be just like children who played together at a playground.

All stood on equal grounds, that was the real beauty of sports.

Akashi managed to breach her inner wall, but in the deepest layer of her heart, it was through the words of a certain navy-haired boy that she fully understood her mistakes and opened her eyes to what was beyond the wall she built all alone.

"«_A level is just something that traps you within a limit_»...Oh...so it was like that..." She whispered Aomine's astoundingly wise words as they came to resound in her head.

Akashi gaped in surprise, her whisper having reached his ears. Under the process of realising, Ritsu didn't pay attention to what she blurted out to herself. Both looked the other in a awkward manner.

Only a minute later, she put her thoughts into order.

"Sorry, I was talking to myself. I just remembered something Aomine-kun said that to me the other day." Ritsu explained, a bit embarrassed that Akashi heard her speaking all alone.

"Aomine?"

In light of Aomine's character, such wise words might surprise and give rise to smile to everyone who knew him. She was about to fill him in about that day but the boy didn't seem to ask for any details. The sight of his soft smile cut her initiative.

"I see. Aomine can be of good advice, it seems." Akashi acknowledged in an amused tone.

He then added nothing else and silenced his delight, keeping it for himself. Just a single look at him brought more information than any words, inevitably Ritsu couldn't help but smile along him. Through his soft expression, she could read a quiet esteem for his teammate. And the more silent he remained about it, the more this regard for Aomine deepened his smile.

"All along, was it that simple?"

"...Asaka," Akashi called her out upon hearing the question. "If you are free next week, I suggest you to come see us play at the championship final game."

"Us? The basketball club?"

"Yes." His excitement were alight in his red eyes.

"What for?" Ritsu stared at him, puzzled.

"You might learn one or two things from it."

"But I know almost nothing about basketball."

"It doesn't matter if basketball doesn't speak to you. In fact, it's even better this way. You just need to go see the game, things will be more intuitive for you." stated Akashi.

Ritsu tried for a few seconds to figure out his intentions before giving up. After spending so long time with him, she became used to his character. And perhaps did she become almost too familiar with this to not even find the strength to dig more informations.

"...Akashi-kun, there are a lot more proper ways to ask me to go cheer your team, you know." She jested while faking a pout.

Akashi chuckled. "I'm looking forward then."

Ritsu smiled in a silent appreciation of the boy. At this prospect, she took the fork and looked at the part of cake, ready to enjoy it. But must she also add this unexpected sight to her happiness?

Akashi came to share the cake with her.

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**That chapter is awful on many points. I rushed Asaka's character development, so it might turn to be very confusing. Well I put the essential, everything will unfold on its own along chapters. And it'll start with the Basketball Nationals. **

**See you next time.**


	36. The Teikō Volleyball club (1)

**A volleyball-club centered chapter and a page is turning in Asaka's life. Like it or not, it was necessary. Just bear with it.**

**Good reading.**

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"TOOOOORYYYAH!"

Like a cannonball, the volleyball broke past Ritsu and Yūzuki and smashed on the ground. Hareki whistled and flipped the placard of the scoreboard. As her team digit went higher and put an end to the current game, Hoshino let out a cry of victory that echoed in the whole gymnasium.

"You're ten years earlier to win against me, Ritsu!" Hoshino claimed, pointing her finger at Ritsu with childish arrogance.

Ritsu gave no reaction to the provokation and just let her senior boasted about her small victory on a 3 on 3 practice game. She looked around while catching her breath and sweeping big beads of sweat dripping on her face with the back of her hand.

The air of summer was stifling as ever, even indoors there was no way of escaping its embrace. Practicing in the middle of summer sure was tough.

Right now, the volleyball club was holding his annual training camp in a small mountain town situated two-hours away from Tōkyō for four days. For two days straight now, they've been training all day long under this hot and sticky weather that was summer. Be it morning joggings in the mountain, stretchings or indoor and outdoor plays, every efforts were doubled under that heat, and that fourth and last day day was no exception.

"Here she goes again." Yūzuki chuckled softly, Hoshino was making a victory dance, "Wakana-san really can't be beaten..."

"By the heat, you mean." retorted Kazehaya, cutting her short midsentence. "Idiots have a stronger constitution than common people, Yūzuki. They can't catch cold and the heat doesn't get to them, it sure is nice to be brainless."

"Ha?! Say that again, you jerk! " Hoshino barked at her and stomped towards her. At her sight, the auburn-haired girl shrugged her shoulders in indifference.

She then asked on purpose, "What, you heard me?"

"Like I can help it." Hoshino spat, a bloody vein was throbbing on her forehead, "Your voice is piercing my ears everytime you open that foul mouth of yours!"

Kazehaya quirked an eyebrow, "In that case, that means you hear me well, how come you never listen to what I'm saying? Hierarchically speaking, I'm above you."

Hoshino pressed her lips tight, repressing hard the urge to let her mouth run, "«_Hierarchically speaking_», YOU have to listen to me! I'm older than you AND I'm your freaking senior in the club! How many times do I have to say it until it gets to your damn thick and tiny skull?" She pointed an accusing finger at her, "Show me some respect first, then we'll talk!"

They were at it again, thought Ritsu while watching with more or less interest her two seniors bickering over nothing. As always, the question of authority was the cause of the quarrel and as always, only the two of them loved to bring it up.

"Haa...is it me or since we've been here, Kazehaya-senpai and Hoshino-senpai are fighting a lot more than normal?" Ritsu pointed out, shifting away her attention in exhaustion.

Yūzuki agreed with a gentle smile, "They're making up for the lost time, I guess. Two weeks of quiet and silence, they surely missed someone to pick on. Last year too, you should have seen that, there weren't an hour when you didn't hear them."

"M-Making up for lost time...Do they have to?"

"Even apart, they missed each other! What a wonderful team!" Hareki chimed in overdramatically, visibly very amused by how sparks were flying everywhere between the vice-captain and the ace, "It's already sooo intense between them when they haven't seen each other only for two weeks! Imagine what it'd be if it was a month or two or more! How lovely it'd be!"

Far from sharing the excitement of her manager, Ritsu exchanged a look with Yūzuki who, at the moment, was struck by the same silly thought as her. A war would definetely break out, and it certainly wouldn't be something very lovely to witness.

Yet she couldn't help smiling at them, and somehow understood Hareki's joy about those two. Although their bickerings were getting lousy, Ritsu also found this situation quite comforting to see. Despite their defeat, everyone remained the same as usual and seemed to have gone over it.

Well, she might have dramatized the whole event, but her last memory of it hadn't been one joyous picture. Sadness and disappointment were painted on every girls' faces, many tears were shed without restraint for some and in secret for others. Yes, if possible, she'd wished for a better outcome but a defeat was defeat, there was no point in denying it, or else why doing sports?

However, her very regret wasn't to have lost in the tournament but to not to have won with _this_ team – With Hibari, Hoshino and all the third years, since this year was their last championship in middle school. Wasn't it kind of sad and frustrating to lose while knowing that? Maybe was it why she had been so sentimental over this defeat...and when she recalled it, the quiet face of Akashi flashed in her mind.

Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment remembering the day she spoke with him after the Volleyball Nationals. To say she had been oversentimental in front of Akashi of all things, how embarrassing! Nevertheless, she had been truly happy that he had spared a little of his time to see and listen to her when she was feeling troubled. She found him quite unreachable and strange at times like an alien, but whatever her opinion of him, Akashi had undoubtedly a kind heart.

Didn't she already note so during the school festival?

"Hmm? Your face is red, Asaka-kun. It's stinking hot, huh? Here, some refreshments and a towel." Hareki gave her a sports flask of fresh water and a white towel to wipe the sweat, then she turned her head to Yūzuki, "Take it too, Yūzuki-kun. We definetely can't have someone die on us, not today! Survive this day, it'll be a splendid night tonight! The sky's clear and no sight of clouds!"

"Oooooh!" Yūzuki let out that long exclamation knowing perfectly what Hareki was talking about, "This year too?"

"Hibari-kun and Hoshino-kun talked about it."

Not really understanding, Ritsu enquired, "There's something special tonight?"

"There is! But I'll keep the secret! Look forward to it!"

Ritsu didn't know if it was good or bad news. If Hibari, Hoshino and Hareki were behind that idea, she could say goodbye to a peaceful night. Worried about what they have in store for tonight, Ritsu glanced at Yūzuki to squeeze out a bit more information.

But as if she guessed her intentions through that look, Hareki warned her with a bright smile, "Don't even try to ask others or you won't survive this day, A-s-a-k-a-kun!"

"A-All right... I won't ask." The ashblond-haired girl gave up.

"Good!" Hareki clasped her hands in acknowledgement and hummed her victory.

"I'm going to check on Kimi-chan." said Yūzuki looking around for her childhood friend.

"Oh, yeah, Yagami-kun can't stand the heat. I saw her leave outside to get refreshed, you should find her at the drinking fountain nearby." Hareki told her about Yagami's whereabouts since she was nowhere to be found in the gymnasium. She handed her an extra towel, "Make sure she doesn't get another heatstroke! It'll be no fun without her tonight!"

Yūzuki laughed and walked outside.

"Now then," The chirpy manager grabbed two sports flasks and towels at the bench and eyed mischievously the vice-captain and the ace still in the middle of their quarrel, "Let's cool them down!"

As Ritsu caught on her intention, it'd probably more correct to say that Hareki was going add more fuel to the fire rather than tempering the actual situation. In spite of knowing that, Ritsu said nothing to stop her and heaved a long sigh.

The last day at the training camp will be a very long day as it seems...

* * *

Freshly out of the bath, Ritsu wore the _yukata_ set provided by the attendant of the traditional inn they were staying in for the training camp. Outside, she could hear the other girls relaxing in the open air bath forgetting all about the pain and hardship of the day.

After tying the obi around her waist, she stretched out her back feeling all the benefits of hot springs. Hot springs sure did miracles for sore muscles. She felt completely refreshed, as if volleyball training was now a distant memory, though she still had wished to have stayed a bit longer in the bath and enjoyed since it was the last day of the training camp. But well, by bathing in a hot spring in summer, she wasn't about to break any time record, the hot water and steam could quickly make someone dizzy.

So to cool herself down, she decided to go buy a fruit juice in a vending machine and go for a walk around the inn. She had time to kill before all the girls gathered for dinner, seeing that she was one of the very firsts to get out of the bath.

In front of the machine, she grabbed the peach juice at the bottom. While enjoying her little refreshment, she headed to the inner garden of the establishment. There, she saw Yagami crouched near a pond filled with koi fishes, quietly watching them. Before joining her, Ritsu went back to the vending machine and selected a bottle of green tea.

"Take some fresh air? Here, for you."

Upon seeing the bottle of green tea on the corner of her eyes, Yagami craned her head and smiled at her, "Asaka. Already out of the bath?"

She gladly accepted the drink and put it on her cheek, appreciating the coldness before taking a sip.

"I felt a bit dizzy, it must be because of the fatigue. I think I'm reaching my limits."

"Well, we did spend four hellish days in training from morning to evening under an unbearable heat." acknownledged the navy-haired girl fanning herself with a round paper fan. "Haa, summer isn't for me. This season swarms with insects and the thermometer hits crazy temperatures. All day long, you're all sticky and the heat, it's like it's draining every drops of strength you have and makes you sluggish for nothing, I honestly can't stand it. I just want summer to end and wait for winter..."

Her complains made Ritsu laugh. At the club, Yagami usually kept low her complains, peculiary about trivial things. Seemingly, she as well, has already hit her limits in this training camp.

"I'm like you, I prefer winter over summer."

"Eeh, winter?" Yagami mused, "I've always seen you as a spring lover, Asaka."

"I was born in spring, that must explain your feeling."

"Perhaps," She chuckled, accepting that silly explanation as an answer, "but spring suits you in a way. It's relaxing to be around you, just like when we view the cherry blossom, we feel at peace and it's kind of warm."

Ritsu stayed silent and held dear her words. For a couple of minutes, they didn't exchange a word and watched the koi fishes swimming in the pond. Both enjoying the calm of the night.

In that moment of silence, Yagami let out a long yawn.

"Ah, sorry." She apologized for her rude manner, then rubbed softly her tired eyes.

"I see, I'm too relaxing that you'll get sleepy?" Ritsu teased her.

"I've never said it doesn't have side-effects. But isn't it a good thing to get sleepy around someone?" Yagami smiled at her and stood up. She stretched out her legs a bit, numb after staying too long crouched, then she sat down on the grass. "I think I'll go to bed early tonight, I'm totally spent!"

Ritsu sneaked a glance at her. She did look tired, very tired in fact. "It's true, you're looking like you're about to collapse any time. Heat is truly your worst ennemy, Yagami. I've rarily seen you this tired, even after practicing late at the club."

"You said it." She heaved a deep sigh.

"You've caused an uproar when you passed out in the middle of practice the first day of the training camp."

Ritsu recalled the incident amusingly but the navy-haired girl wasn't sharing the same feeling and grimaced as she remembered. And for good reason, she couldn't complete her special training menu of the camp because of a heatstroke, and as hardworking as she is, she took it like a failure. Although the training menu was different and more challenging from the one she usually followed at the club, the amount of training was practically the same as usual. In short, she failed because of her weakness of heat, and that was very embarrassing for her.

"I'll appreciate if you can please erase that incident off your memory." sulked Yagami, pulling her legs towards her chest.

"As you wish."

"But you know,"As she said that, Yagami seemed to hesitate in saying the rest, "...I didn't passed out just because of the heat. The moment I lost consciousness, I had had no more strength left in me, and well, I think the heat just finished me off. I was knocked out cold."

"You pushed yourself too hard?"

"That's pretty much what happened." answered the navy-haired girl without trying to hide anything else.

Ritsu was quite surprised to hear that. It happened for Yagami to overtax herself time to time but she was aware of her own limits. She would never go as far as to hurt herself, let alone wear herself out to the point of collapsing.

"How come?"

"Playing in the same team as Hoshino-senpai can be very demanding. I tried to keep up with her pace but her style is very aggressive, I mean, she hardly slows down and always pushes forward."

Which explains the reason she was completely spent. At the beginning of the training camp, Yagami was instructed by the coach to team up with Hoshino and set the ball for when there were practice games.

"It takes me everything I've got to keep up with her while my stamina is not that bad."

Yagami didn't exaggerate when she said that teaming up with Hoshino was taxing. Having her as her mentor, she ought to know. Many times, she had been left in the dust for not being able to match her wild pace.

Ritsu nodded knowingly. "Hoshino-senpai can be forceful at times. She isn't the type of girl to wait around when she can do something, and sadly to say, she won't wait for us either. If you can't follow, she won't stop in her track to look at you, you have to stand on your own. In a way, it's like she's imposing her pace to the team. No wonder Kazehaya-senpai is constantly on her back."

"You got the character right," Yagami acknowledged with a faint chuckle, "But I'm not saying it as a bad thing, though." She pensively looked up at the evening sky, "It's that wild and fierce temper that makes her the ace of our team. She always pushes the team to the limits and keeps looking straight ahead, I think of them as valuable qualities."

Ritsu understood well Yagami's high esteem for their ace. Certainly she might gave the impression she care not about the team, but that was wrong. Hoshino was that fire that drove all to keep going and make efforts to overcome hardships and achieve. She just wouldn't wait for those who give up on the way and would lead those who have the will to fight along her. That's how she became the shining star of their team, and everyone acknowledged her as such.

"That said," Yagami lowered her gaze on the pond again, "I'm impressed by Hibari-senpai for being able to play so well with Hoshino-senpai. When teaming up with her, I noticed how hard it is to set the ball for her. Hoshino-senpai plays fast and to connect with her, decisions have to be made quick in order not to break her momentums. Drawing out the best of her is tough."

"Those two sure make a good set. When you observe her play, Hibari-senpai makes it real easy to connect with Hoshino-senpai."

"She really does." concurred Yagami, "Hoshino-senpai is a powerful athlete, and to be able to be on par with her is not an easy task. That's why, sometimes, I'm impressed by you as well, Asaka."

Ritsu slightly widened her eyes in surprise. "Why's that?"

"Whenever I see you training with Hoshino-senpai, I can see the difference between you and me, peculiarily concerning our progresses. Even though we're both first years, you're already one of the few who can compete with her in the team. You have talent for volleyball."

"Compete is little too strong, I feel more like I'm chasing after her. Besides, since I joined the club, I'm practicing with her most of the times, so I got used to her style in a way. I don't think talent has anything to do with it if you ask me."

"If you say so." Yagami said nothing else, though her long silence told her she was unconvinced. Then she breathed deeply. "But when will your talent eventually show up then?"

"Huh?"

Seeing that Ritsu gave her a weird look, Yagami laughed it off, "It's just a question I'm asking to myself, don't mind it...But sometimes I don't get you."

Although she told her not to mind it, after saying such a thing Ritsu had no other choice but to ask what she meant by that.

"What doesn't you get about me?"

Yagami didn't answer immediately and stared vacantly at the numerous waves caused by the koi fishes. Yet, her gaze was serious. Despite her words, she was very concerned by that matter of talent.

"I noticed that everytime we're putting the light on your talent or you, you're pulling away from it. As if you don't want to assume it."

"You mean I'm lacking confidence in myself or even that I'm shy about it?"

She shook her head. "It's not about your character. As far as I know, you have confidence in yourself to take action and you're not shy at all...I'd rather say it's your behaviour that makes me say that."

"My behaviour?"

"You don't want to stand out much."

Ritsu didn't deny it, and Yagami didn't push the matter further waiting for a reaction from her.

"Well, most people doesn't like to stand out, me included."

"Problably. However, in your case, I don't think it's because you don't like it, you just refrain yourself from standing out, though I don't know if it's conscious or not...But if you're doing it consciously, then stop it."

Ritsu's lips parted opened without a sound coming out. How many times was she told she doesn't draw much attention? So many times she lost count of it. And yet lately, it fiercely came to strike her deep. She has become aware she couldn't stay in the background as she conformed herself to.

"It's frustrating sometimes to see and hear you belittling yourself when you have the potential to do great things."

Yagami stood up and looked straight at her.

"Unfortunately for you, you have talent and you're strong, Asaka. Admit it once and for all and show it." She told her, her eyes shining strongly. "We both want to grow stronger, what are you waiting for? In your shoes, I wouldn't hesitate in moving forward to become the best volleyball player out there."

"Yagami..."

Her expression softened as a warm smile tugged her lips. "We're doing sports for a reason, but doesn't we do it for ourselves first? Like wanting to test our limits or proving ourselves to others or whatever else?"

She fanned air over her face, slightly embarrassed of her words.

"Anyways, I'm telling you this because we'll be in the same team for a quite long time and I truly want us to make a great team together." Yagami turned her head at her "Don't you too?"

"I do."

Ritsu smiled at her, looking up at the night sky.

* * *

After dinner, most of the girls went about their business. Playing ping-pong or cards in their room, strolling around the inn or packing their bags, nothing special on the horizon. But Ritsu didn't forget about the special event that her seniors had in store for the team tonight. What kind of trials will they have to go through in the middle of the night?

"Haaa...I wish we could stay here a few days more! I've yet gotten my fill!"

"Getting sentimental?"

Ritsu suddenly stopped mid-track, the two voices sounded familiar. They were coming from the corner of the open corridor she was walking on. She advanced to the corner and saw on her left side, Hibari and Kazehaya talking together.

"Kind of. When I think it's the last time I come here with the rest of you..." Hibari sighed and leaned on the wooden railing. "Times really flies. I'll miss my days at the club and Teikō."

"There still are two terms coming up before you can say your goodbye. Even if you were to quit the club at the new term, you'd be around for a while."

Upon hearing such cold response, the older girl let out a grunt. "Did someone have already told that you're not cute at all?"

"You're not the first to tell me."

Hibari laughed. As her laugh toned down, her smile slowly faded into a quiet yet sad one, "Well, it's just as you said, there's still time and I don't intend to quit the club so soon. However, at the next term, I will leave the team in your hands, Kazehaya."

A fleeting silence interrupted the conversation. Hibari paused to take a glimpse of the girl's reaction, but Kazehaya didn't utter a sound.

"Yūzuki will be there to assist you, I've already talked it over with her a while ago. And the coach has approved of my decision." She continued before nudging Kazehaya, so as to force out a little reaction from her. "So do your best when the time comes, captain Kazehaya."

"Ugh...Count on me." The auburn-haired girl eventually said while slightly wincing in pain. Hibari didn't nudge her in fact, she hit her real hard on her ribs with her elbow. "But you're sure about it?"

At the unexpected question, Hibari almost grinned. "How unusual. You're not confident?"

"I'm asking you if the others are fine with it?" Kazehaya rephrased her question more clearly.

Sadly for her, that question to tickle Hibari's amusement even more.

"Eeeh, looks like you've finally come to question your low popularity at the club."

"Would you stop trying to pick a fight with me, Hibari-san?" She warned her senior.

"Okay, okay, give it a rest!" Hibari tempered, then she rested her chin on her hand and looked around the inner garder beneath. "Coming back at what you ask, I'm certain that there won't be any great troubles for you regarding that matter, unless you think the contrary."

"We're different." declared Kazehaya in a curt tone.

"I know that." The older girl simply said. "But you're not telling me that out of anxiety if I'm guessing right. You intend to do things your own way."

The vice-captain didn't refute. "I just wanted to tell you."

Her honesty made Hibari burst out laughing. "You wanted to tell me? Now I can rest assured I've made the right choice about you!"

It forced a smile out of Kazehaya. Hibari regained a bit of composure after a while.

"More seriously, it's true that we have very few points in common concerning leadership, but I trust in you, we both set our sights on the same goal : make the strongest team ever and win." She asserted, "The coach and I didn't appoint you to follow in my footsteps. Knowing you, you'd barely put with that situation anyways but whatever you decide, see it through..."

As Hibari's voice pitched down in her last statement, Kazehaya mused on her, "Although you say that, it doesn't mean you'll actually be fine with everything I might do."

"Can't hide it from you."

"You never bothered," The vice-captain shrugged her shoulders, "you think I'm too hard on people and put too much pressure on them."

"You set your standards high, not everyone is as ambitious as you, but still and all, I'm not against a bit of pressure. Just don't go overboard, you can't push high expectations onto people who don't have yet the shoulders to bear them."

The older girl fell silent, reflecting. Noticing it, Kazehaya didn't leave it at that.

"You're talking about Asaka?"

As she heard her name, Ritsu leaned a bit more and pricked up her ears.

Hibari slightly straightened her back, a smile on the corner of her lips.

"If you ask me, I'd rather say everyone. You're so bossy, you know." She began to brush it off. Kazehaya frowned at the reaction as she wanted to hear a serious answer. "Yet, Asaka's case is one of the most relevant."

The auburn-haired girl relaxed and asked, "You think she's weak under pressure?"

"Not really." Hibari shook her head. "Rather that she has yet figured out what she needs to do to become stronger. And as long as she stuck on it, it simply means she hasn't yet the shoulders to carry the weight of our expectations."

"For me it only means our expectations in her are too high compared to her potential."

Put it more bluntly, she was weak. Ritsu closed her eyes in reflection, letting that one word sank in her.

"Straight as ever." Hibari said without adding more.

It echoed the same as the time she realised that day with Akashi. She has yet proved her worth to her teammates, and more generally to everyone. Now hearing Hibari and Kazehaya affirm it so frankly, that truth sink in her to the deepest part of her being.

She was weak, not because of the reasons she always thought like a lack of strength or problems with her way of playing, but because she didn't aspire enough to become one of the best volleyball player. No matter how talented people are, a talent is only wasted if no motivation follows.

«But w_hen will your talent eventually show up then?_»

Yagami noticed it. She didn't want to stand out because she found unnecessary to show herself when people could already catch a glimpse of her talent. For her, talent was something that was shown through one's hardwork and accomplishment, and not something to display for all to see.

«_You shouldn't belittle yourself._»

Akashi noticed it. She didn't want to be more special than others because she refused to trample over people to achieve and chose to leave people behind her. There was no point in doing a teamsports if it was to play all alone.

«_If you do sports, you can't stay in conformity. Because average or ordinary tend to...no, it means weak in the sports world._»

Hibari noticed it. She wanted to stay ordinary because everyone started running from that starting line. Talent or not, everyone makes efforts to achieve greatly. It was normal.

However, in the end, it was all wrong from her. By thinking like that, she was just taking lightly the sports world all along. She thought that just being able to play in game and with everyone was what brought the fun in sports, but that was merely a pure and naive view. It wasn't enough determination to grow stronger, in reality could this be even determination at all?

She can't keep playing so half-heartedly.

"Well, leave her time."

Kazehaya nodded silently at her, then she looked away, crossing her arms over her chest. "She has until the new year to wake up. Without Hoshino-san in the team, our team will no longer have added value to make the difference and it'll be tough. "

"Hmmm, you do say nice things about Wakana."

"She's not our ace for nothing. Anyways, if Asaka is not ready to shoulder the same role by then, I'll find someone else."

Their words sank in Ritsu. _An ace_... The strongest player of a team and their light. Somehow she laughed at her own naivety, just how much of a fool has she been for not realising this until now? She tries to stay in the shadow while people only waits for her to shine.

It was such simple thing. Of course what was asked of her was heavy and more complicated, and perhaps not within everyone's reach. Yet, when she resumed it in one sentence, it only means that she has to become the best. Wasn't it what Yagami, Akashi or Hibari tried to tell her all along?

If she isn't aiming to become the best, she will not get very far and will be left behind, because sports is a matter of progress and efforts.

So she...

"UWAA!"

Someone pinched her in the ribs, drawing her out of her long reflection. She jerked forwards and spun around, Ugai greeted her with a grin. Hareki was with her, also amused by her reaction.

"You can't sleep yet, Asa-chan! The night's just getting started!" Ugai passed an arm around hers and pulled her out of the corner.

"Hibari-kun! Kazehaya-kun!" called out Hareki as soon she caught sight of the two. Near them, she then asked, "Hibari-kun, you got the permission from the coach and the advisor for tonight?"

"Without breaking a sweat!" confirmed Hibari. "They just told me not to bring everyone back too late and they'll be waiting."

"What is it about?"

Ritsu responded with ignorance to Kazehaya's enquiring gaze. So, even shen wasn't informed of Tonight's special event.

"We're all going for a stroll tonight. To that place."

Kazehaya tilted her head, searching in her memories a mention of that place. After a while, her eyes twinkled, "Oh. There."

"Yes, there."

Seeing that Kazehaya seemed pleased by the idea, Ritsu's curiosity tickled her more and more but she held back asking questions. Anyhow, it musn't be something very troublesome if the strictest girl of the club was looking forward to it.

"No time to waste! Go get changed everyone, we're going out!"


	37. The Teikō Volleyball club (2)

Gathered in front of the inn for the night expedition, most of the girls were excited. After giving few instructions, Hibari led the way why Hareki distributed around three flashlights. Ritsu was given one and she examinated it suspisciously, wondering why exactly they needed flashlights for a simple stroll. As she wondered, she got a bad feeling about this.

And her hunch was spot on. On the outskirts of the town, the group of girls stopped in front of a _torii_ gate where stone stairs supposedly led to a shrine. Anxious, some of the girls, Ritsu included, craned their heads up to see how far those stairs were going up, but that remained a mystery. It was too dark out there, the path was enclosed by the forest and the town lights didn't reach this far. The only sign of civilisation around was the bus stop at the bottom of the hill they just climbed up before their track brought them in front of that shrine entrance.

"We're going up, girls!"

"A-Are you trying to kill us, Hibari-senpai?" Yagami raised the question, the least enthusiastic at the prospect of climbling a couple of stairs. Moreover, the hill seemed rather steep.

Ritsu stayed silent but the same question did cross her mind. Climbing up an endless and dark stairs in the middle of the night to get to some mysterious place was the least thing she wanted to do after a tough volleyball practice day.

"Come on, a little walk has never killed anyone." Hibari tempered while breathing the fresh air of the mountain.

"It's no longer walking here...we're currently hiking." Yagami grumbled, which caused a couple of laughs to be raised here and there. On the other hand, Hibari responded with a flick on her forehead.

"Man up, Yagami! The hardest a path is, the more rewarding it is at the end, that I can assure you. You won't regret coming tonight!"

Yagami gave in relunctanly, and along Yūzuki she fell into step behind Hibari and Hoshino. Five minutes later, they all reached the shrine.

Looking around the place, Ritsu couldn't help but ask herself agian for what purpose Hibari wanted to bring them here. It was a small shrine, quite old and well-maintained but nothing out of the ordinary in fact.

She sighed Hibari and Hoshino talking behind the shrine. Hibari was directing the lightbeam of her flashlight towards the forest, on a narrow path barely visible because of the vegetation, while Hoshino watched her doing in a pensive way.

Ending their conversation, both came back to the front. Hibari clapped her hands to call attention.

"Switch on the lights now! We have to cross the forest from here!"

A few sighs raised from the group, especially from the first-years who got no idea of where they were led to. Ritsu and Yagami exchanged a look while swallowing back any questions or remarks. At this point, they stopped wondering.

The group ventured in the dark forest. Barely seeing a thing ahead even with the flashlights, the girls stayed silent and kept their ears sharp to any strange sounds.

*Sbwaf*

"Oouch! Wakana, what the hell?" Hibari turned to the culprit while rubbing her left arm, just where Hoshino slapped her.

"Saved your ass from being bitten by a moquisto." Hoshino quirked an eyebrow at the ungrateful reaction and showed the palm of her hand as a proof. At the sight of the big yet squashed moquisto, Hibari squeaked in disgust. Hardly bothered by it, the giant girl examined her palm and squinted her eyes as she identified a small amount of a red liquid around the moquisto. "Argh...it already sucked blood from one of you, it had blood in him."

The detail grossed out the whole group, only Hareki came to give her her water bottle to wash her hands.

"Disgusting!" Hibari speeded up but Hoshino along Hareki sticked to her like a glue making fun of her hate for insects and bugs.

The three of them went ahead of the group yet the other girls didn't bother to catch them up. Hibari's flashlight glowed enough not to lose sight of them.

"Hey, don't you think it could make a good setting for a horror movie." noted Ugai with excitement, "Feels like a monster could leap on us at any moment or a ghost could appear before us or a dude with a chainsaw could come kill us all!"

"In my opinion, you watch too many movies, Ugai." Kazehaya retorted in a disinterested tone.

"Buuuut~ isn't it fun to imagine? Look we're a group of girls wandering alone in a forest in the middle of the night, doesn't something is bound to happen?" In her excitement, she stopped lighting the way and brought the flashlight under her chin to scare her teammates. "As we're venturing deeper in the forest, some of us are mysteriously disappearing along the way. One by one. Until only one is left...And the first of the group to likely disappear and be killed would be..." The beamlight of her flashlight shifted to Yūzuki who blinked cluelessly. "You! Yū-chan!"

"Eh, why me?" enquired the girl, not sure to like being designated as the very first victim in her fantasy.

"Because your voice is too soft." answered Ugai instantly. "When you're yelling, your voice isn't going very high, it's like you're speaking normally. So even if you were to call for help, we wouldn't hear you to save you, and couic, you're killed on the spot!"

"That's not true, I can yell." Taking on the challenge, Yūzuki took a deep breath and shouted, "I CAN'T BE THE FIRST VICTIM OF A HORROR MOVIE!"

"..."

The faint glow ahead of them got farer, not a single reaction from the trio of seniors.

"See, they didn't even stop to look back."

Yūzuki sulked, pursing her lips in disappointment.

"Don't worry you might be the first victim but Kazehaya-chan is second on the list!" The excited girl gave her a slap on the back to cheer her up. "In every movies, there always are those annoying characters that try to survive by any means and are hated because they get in the main character's way, even if in the end, they are one of the firsts to get killed."

"Oh, I see, and you're saying I'm in that category of characters..." noted Kazehaya with a hint of irritation in her tone.

"Well, see it like a good thing! If the main character wasn't stopped or hindered by those annoying characters, he wouldn't last long in the movie. They're making the wrong choices for the main character!"

"How is it a good thing? I'm not the one surviving."

The other girls laughed at their banter completely forgetting they were wandering in the middle of a forest at night. Ritsu checked on the trio's whereabouts but she saw no light ahead.

"Huh?" Ritsu squinted her eyes to make sure she wasn't imagining things thanks to Ugai's story, "Senpai, I don't see Hibari-senpai and the others anymore."

They all checked and observed the same thing. A chill ran down their spines. All gazes landed on Ugai as if her scenario came true.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Of course, you didn't." Kazehaya said back as she stated the obvious. "I saw their light tuned off when they certainly reached the border of the forest. Look over there," She motioned the girls to take a closer look of the horizon. Far ahead, the shapes of the trees appeared to be more definite and clearer to their eyes than what's around them, as if there was some dim light illuminating them. "It's the moonlight. Seems like we have reached the place."

"Ooh, what are we waiting for? Let's hurry! I really want to see it again!"

On Ugai's drive, all the girls scurried out of darkness and what bursted into their view filled their eyes with stars, litteraly. Above them was the night sky illuminated by millions of stars. Ritsu slowed down in her track as she contemplated the view. She has never seen such a beautiful night sky, she has never seen so many shining stars as if they're telling her that they exists. It was magical.

"You've taken your time! We thought you all got lost!" Hoshino yelled at them, hands on her waist.

"You're spoiling the view, I can't fully appreciate it when you're yelling at us. If you didn't want us to make you wait, you shouldn't have go on on yo—"

Hibari slapped the back of her head to shut her mouth. "Don't start!"

The tranquility of the night came back again, though a few happy laughters continued to echo in this glade full of grass. All enjoyed the view.

"So, still regretting to have tagged along, Yagami, Asaka?" Hibari came to ask them.

"It's breathtaking!" exclaimed Ritsu in awe.

"Yeah, it's like a dream. It's almost impossible to see so many stars in the city." topped Yagami, her eyes stuck on the night sky.

Their captain nodded proudly. "It makes you want to wish upon a star. If you have one, better do it now."

"Did you make one, Hibari-senpai?" Ritsu asked with curiosity.

"I did, but I guess I'll have to wait a little longer for it to come true." A soft smile brightened her expression.

"«Win the championship». I wished for that too last year." Hoshino's voice broke in. "Three years and three defeats, we should have signed for the basketball club." The giant girl told in a jest, not thinking a word she was saying. "Heard from Shūzō, they won the championship." .

Having said that, Hoshino fell quiet, she flopped down on the grass and contemplated the dark sky. Her gaze in the stars, she then said under her breath, "The strongest team of the year...That title, it'd have been really cool for our club to hold it as well."

The girls heard her yet let it go as a whisper of the wind, though they were sharing the same feeling. Hibari came to sit down on the grass, as well as the group.

"We're close to it, though. We participated twice at the Nationals and this year, we even reached the quarter-final. It's a great achievement for a club who could hardly compete on a national level those past years." Hibari slightly moved her head and exchanged a knowing look with Hoshino. "Remember our first year? We didn't even get past the preliminary round."

"Ah, yeah, we totally sucked back then. Soo amateurish! We were swept like dust. " Remembering, Hoshino laughed a bit. "At that time, the Nationals were more like a distant dream than an attainable goal."

While laughing too, Hibari jerked her head back and looked up. "As stupid as it sounds, it's the truth. And now, when I thought back of Yagami crying her eyes out on court as we lost at the quarter-final, I'm kind of envious..."

Yagami flushed in embarrassment, feeling a few gazes from her teammates on her. The reaction raised smiles among them. It's true, Yagami was one of the few to have let out her emotions, and that image of her was still clear in Ritsu's memory. It had felt so bitter.

"If during our first years, we could have cried so bitterly and so genuinely on court, it'd have meant we were close to attain our goal and certainly held the power to reach it."

A solemn silence followed after her words.

"Hmm," Hareki said pensively, which suddenly earned the girls' attention. "You two've never cried on court, even last year when it was your first participation at the Nationals. You said the only time there'll be tears on court would be when you win the Nationals." Hareki mentioned and continued with her usual chirpy tone.

"That doesn't mean they don't cry over it." Kazehaya affirmed.

"Is it about yourself, Kazehaya-chan?"

The said girl glared at Ugai who feigned ignorance.

"You know them well. After the Nationals, we went to the beach and they both bawled their eyes out before the sunset while hugging each other, when they realised it was their last year in middle school." Hareki let out a chuckle. "That moment was so full of emotions! Just like those drama about youth where all shouted out their dreams and aspirations at the sunset with tears in their eyes!"

"You sneaky girl! Stop running your mo—" Hibari sprang to hush her but Hareki rolled to the side and escaped her grip swiftly.

"«NEXT YEAR, WE'LL GET A BIG TROPHY FOR SURE! OR IF WE'RE DOOMED TO FAIL AGAIN IN HIGH SCHOOL, LET US FIND LOVE AT LEAST!»" The team manager shouted across the glade reenacting the whole scene for all the girls, much to Hibari's dismay.

"...What's with the last part?"

"What's wrong with wishing for romance too, you heartless jerk? Even I know we can't always be successful in life, but even if my luck is running out in sports, it might not in love! Though a little help from heaven is always welcome!"

"Un-un, that's the spirit, Hoshino-kun!" nodded Hareki in total agreement. "We all have luck in our life and most of the times that luck isn't enough to make every of our wishes come true but still enough to realise some of them that we barely could consider or never thought of!"

Kazehaya emitted a "tsk" without trying to approve or disapprove the logic. It was beyond her.

"Your logic is as twisted as ever, Kisa-san. But it's sort of romantic." Yūzuki noted lightly.

"Hehe, speaking of which, I think the closest to have love life this year is Asaka-kun. The day after our defeat at the Nationals, you went on a date with Akashi-kun, didn't you?"

Although Ritsu tried to avoid all the pairs of eyes on her, she was bound to give some explanation. And as this wasn't enough, Hareki laid it on thick :

"Natsue told me you two stopped at the coffee shop and even shared a cake together. It's spring time all over!"

Hoshino grabbed firmly her ankle after crawling to her. "Ritsu, you traitor! When we were all down because of the defeat, you went on a date with...with Akashi, that handsome midget! Have you no shame!"

"You say that but we did go to the beach with a precise goal. Who claimed that summer was an auspicious and the last period to found your soulmate?" revealed Hibari. Hit in the heart by her own ally, Hoshino released her ankle and sulked.

"Don't worry, Hoshino-san. Although they have a good chemistry, it can't work out well for both of them in a romantic way seeing as how things are between them, their auras shine too differently. Akashi-kun feels too strong compared to Asa-chan."

"Ha? Does that seriously play in a relationship?" Yagami raised the question, sceptical about the whole aura thing.

"Yep, Akashi-kun would eat Asa-chan whole if she's not ready to bridge the gap between them, and bam! Everything crumbles!" Ugai spluttered lame explosive sfx before laughing a bit, then she regained some composure and added, "But I must admit that Akashi-kun is really hard to grasp. I sometimes feel something rather deep and eerie coming from him, his aura sort of switches, I've never seen that kind of thing in my life."

"Are you playing the fortune teller? I don't get a thing you're saying, Ugai-senpai..."

"Me neither..." Ritsu concurred with her volleyball partner.

Though a part of her had heard her. She always felt some distance between them and believed that it was normal since they still had many things they didn't know about each other, like any other relationships. But to think it could come down to a more fundamental problem...was it really the case?

Ritsu shook off those strange toughts and brought the conversation back on the right track.

"Anyways, even if it looked like a date, I needed to talk it over with someone outside the club. And Akashi-kun was the first friend that came to my mind, so I called him. He has been of good advice to me so far and well..."

Ritsu hesitated to let the girls know what she had felt about this defeat. This bitterness and sadness, even though they were now distant memories, they still existed inside her.

"...I didn't want to tell you right after our defeat that I'd miss playing with this team. With Hibari-senpai, Hoshino-senpai, and all the third years. It felt like a bitter goodbye, while if the Nationals had ended with our victory, it'd have been the sweetest memory. I couldn't face you with those feelings of sore loser, trying to find a reason to a defeat instead of taking pride of what we've achieved there." Her heart was thumping hard as she sounded so sentimental all of a sudden, but she wanted at least to convey her feelings properly to those teammates she'd probably never meet again on the same side of a net. "A-All that to say, I've really had fun playing with this team!"

Her gaze circled around the group of girls, silent. Yet some soft smiles illuminated their expression and glints of hope twinkled in their eyes.

"Looks like you're ready to move forward, Asaka..."

Ritsu who was sat down near Hibari heard those whispered words.

"Listen up, everyone!" Hibari leaped on her feet and stood before the group, looking at each of the girls. "You all reach this far, you'd better not stop halfway! The Teikō volleyball club will live on and make a name for itself in the junior volleyball league! We're strong! Besides, even if we're no longer playing in the same team, we'll meet again in the same court : The Nationals! And I better see you all as my opponents when the times come and show me what a Teikō volleyball player is made of! Let's meet and all play there!"

She looked up at the starry sky, her words resonating in all hearts like a promise to meet again. That idea

Hibari gave a knowing look and grinned at Ritsu. "I had fun playing in the same team as you all too! As long as we share the same passion for volleyball, I'm sure we'll meet again!"

All girls promised through their laughs and chatters echoing under this sky full of stars.

Her eyes filled with millions of stars, Ritsu closed them and let herself make an innocent wish upon a star.

_As long as they love and play volleyball, their path is bound to cross again_.

How hopeful...

* * *

In the morning, Hoshino yawned loud while packing up the rest of her things, still sleepy after the long night. Fortunately for them, it seemed like their coach let them enjoy their last morning in the inn. She perked her head up at the clock, which indicated twenty-five past seven. Normally, they'd wake at six o'clock sharp for the morning jogging.

"Kisa, could you go check on the others and tell them to take breakfast?" Hibari requested as she put the volleyball club jacket on her. "I must go see the coach and the advisor."

She closed the door behind them.

"Then, off I go!" Hareki stoop up after finishing to comb her hair, then she turned to her, "Hoshino-kun, you're coming?"

"Ah, I'm coming. I've nothing to do before breakfast."

In front of the room, Hareki opened the door and stepped inside the room where silence reigned. Not a faint sound coming from the room, a smile crept onto the manager's face. She tiptoed to the bedroom and slid the paper door. Inside the room, two out of the four futons were empty.

"Aww, Yagami-kun and Asaka-kun are still sleeping." squealed Hareki in joy.

The two juniors were sleeping soundly, only the faint sound of their breathes filled the room.

"Tch...We're up since six because of Rin and those two are sleeping late without a care in the world. Where's the justice?" Hoshino grunted, irritated to see their sleeping faces.

"But look, aren't they cute? Asaka-kun is cuddling her pillow and Yagami is sleeping like a starfish...Haa, I have to take a ph—"

"Like I give a damn! Time to wake those sleepyheads up Hoshino style!"

Her mouth opened wide as she took a deep breath, ready to give the fright of their life. But before she could release all of her lungs, Hareki hushed her, putting her hand on her mouth.

"No-no, Hoshino-kun! Sshhhh! Hold on a sec!"

Hoshino yanked her arm after being interrupted and glared at Hareki.

"I've got an idea! You might like it!" She stood on her tiptoes to reach out her ear and whispered her idea. "...It's way better than waking them up now, right?"

After hearing it, Hoshino "Say, Kisa, you didn't..."

"Who knows~" She sing-sang.

Knowing what that answer meant, Hoshino just let it go.

Hareki and her crouched near the two juniors, still in deep sleep despite the noise they made. The small girl took out a camera from her sports jacket.

"You always have your camera with you?"

"Na, I had a feeling. Because of morning trainings, they were always up before I could sneak to take a photo." She said while changing a few settings of her camera.

Hareki began the photoshoot. While waiting, Hoshino sat down on the tatami and looked at the sleeping face of her junior. Ritsu giggled in her sleep and mumbled something about a cake. A cake...

Out of the blue, Hoshino got up and looked around the room under Hareki's puzzled look.

"What are you looking for?"

"Ah! Found it!"

Hoshino grabbed the small device near the ash-blondhead.

"Asaka-kun's cellphone? What about it?" Hareki blinked.

She grinned at her. "Spreading love."

"Oooh..." Hareki exclaimed, finally getting her intentions. "Hoshino-kun, you're the best!"

Setting the phone on the camera mode, Hoshino crawled near the girl. She then adjusted the zoom lens on Ritsu and took the perfect picture of the girl cuddling her pillow with a blissful face. The photo stocked in the phone memory and ready to be sent, Hoshino browsed her contact list.

"Eeh, she got the contact numbers of the four basketball freaks. Aomine...Even the giant guy, Murasakibara. Hm?"

"What?"

"Aside us, all her recent messages were sent to the basketball manager and the four-eyes. Her last message sent to Akashi goes back to the day after our defeat."

"Really, let me see." Her interest suddenly aroused, Hareki took a peek at the list. It was as Hoshino said. The name of Momoi and Midorima were the ones that came back the most. "So Akashi-kun's not her number one? How strange...I seldom see her talk with Midorima-kun but it might not be exluded...Yagami-kun said those two looks closer than they look."

"Getting secretive, piano girl?" Hoshino asked the sleeping girl beside her. "But I won't change my mind, Akashi it is!"

"Why not to both? That picture's pretty cute not to be shared to all." suggested the chirpy manager.

Without a second thought, Hoshino settled for that. She sent the photo along a short message.

"And...done!"

They high-fived but in their excitement, the two seniors forgot to mind the noise. Some rustles came from Ritsu.

"Hn...Hoshino-senpai...? Hareki-senpai?" Ritsu sat up on the futon then squinted her sleepy eyes when noticing her cellphone in Hoshino's hand. "What are you doing with my cellphone?"

"Check it out yourself. Your prince will be happy."

"Huh...?"

Ritsu caught the device thrown at her and read the message. Her eyes flew open and her face completely flushed, she stuttered few syllabes after seeing the photo and the message recipient : Akashi.

"AAAAH?!"

The shout awoke Yagami who got up mechanically. "W-What's happening...?"

"You didn't...! To A-Akashi-kun..."

"Don't forget to tell them to thank me for the great shot!" boasted Hoshino.

"Them...?" Ritsu noted that two messages were sent. She took a look at it. Y-You even sent one to-to Midorima-kun?!...Why him too?"

"A feeling?" Hoshino responded in a cute and clueless way.

"That's not an answer, Hoshino-senpai!" Ritsu shouted out in anger and then swung her head to the other culprit, "A-And you, Hareki-senpai, why didn't you try to—"

Before she could finish her sentence, a flash blinded her. Hareki just took a photo of her.

"Ah!"

"Sorry, Asaka-kun! It was too tempting!" giggled the manager.

Ritsu choked on her words and sighed "... What should I tell them now?"

"Tell them what? Your cuteness is overflowing in that picture, even Akashi-kun and Midorima-kun can understand that without telling them anything!"

"That's the problem here! They'll misunderstand if I don't explain!"

"Misunderstand what?" Hareki picked up on the word with a mischievous smile.

Ritsu resigned herself knowing well that she would only dig her own grave by reacting to each of their words. Losing all her energy, the girl stared at the screen when a short ringtone rang in the room.

"Oh, you got a reply, Ritsu. That was quick."

For a moment, she hesitated. Bracing herself, she read the content and froze on the spot. A blush brightly colored up her cheeks and no distinct words came from her mouth.

"What? What?" pressed Hoshino at her reaction, wanting to know who sent the message and what it was saying.

"Not telling you!" The ashblond-haired girl kept the cellphone away from the two seniors clutching it against her chest. "Just use your imagination like you always do!"

She slided open the door and hurried out of the room. However, Hoshino chased after her along Hareki whose curiosity knew no limits.

"Er, someone can explain?"

Left alone, Yagami tilted her head then she shrugged her shoulders.

* * *

In the silent bedroom, a ringtone broke the tranquility of morning. A faint moan raised among the sheets. Without opening his eyes, Akashi turned around and felt around the nightstand to find the device who pulled him from his sleep. As he grabbed his cellphone, he opened one eye just to check the message thinking it might be from a member of the basketball club. But what he saw on the screen awoke him completely.

The message was sent by Ritsu, or should he rather say "through her cellphone" to be more accurate. She couldn't have taken that photo alone and there was that funny message attached to it : "To my prince (heart). Asaka, the sleeping beauty.". Whoever send it to him meant it as a prank, and sadly to say for the girl, it did make him laugh.

He stared at the screen for a couple of seconds then typed a short reply that he sent instantly. He got up and gazed at the morning sky from the window. His day started with a smile.

«_Good morning_.»

* * *

**It'll be the only chapter centered around the volleyball club, there won't be another. Of course, Asaka's teammates will make few and short appearances here and there to drive the story forward but not more. For the following chapters, I'll focus on the GoM and their relationships with Asaka. And I'll begin with Kuroko's introduction. Finally.**

**Thank you for reading and see you later.**


	38. Miracles and a ghost

**Merry christmas to you all! Happy holidays and wish you my best wishes for the next year!**

**Back on the story, I change my plan. Asaka never goes see the Basketball Nationals, I completely dropped the idea, seeing that I no longer see the point in writing it, and thus decided to go on as you can see. I want to say my thanks to those who have taken the trouble to answer my question in the last update and as you suggested it, I will bring the story forward with Kuroko's introduction as the main theme for the next couple of chapters.**

**Almost forgot to tell you, in the "Severe perfection" chapter, it was mentioned that Akashi and the rest had already met Kuroko, forget it. Their first meeting will occur after summer break, that is to say very soon. Anyway, that chapter is about to be rewritten for that reason.**

**Thank you for following this story.**

**Good reading.**

**_Shinpi Tekina 04_ : Thank you very much for your review! It almost made cry, I'm not joking. If I could hug you, I'd do it right away. As I read it, I found back my drive to write and continue this story. Two chapters written in less than a month, it's a first in a long time. So you have all my thanks. Hope you'll like them and if you can, tell me what you thought about it! Hehe, I too enjoy Akashi fanfics since he's my favorite character in the whole Knb cast. And sorry, no I don't own an account on wattpad but I'll check out your fic and be glad to keep in touch with you!**

**_Oneworld111_ : I wish you the same and that all good things come to you this new year. It's really sweet of you to have written this message, I'll do my best this year too. Thank you for your big support and hope this chapter will do as a christmas present! And yeah, long live Akashi x Asaka! Speaking of which, I have a chapter in mind concerning those two alone and I'll be sure to dedicate it to you when the time comes! I'm so happy to know that this couple can make you, er, squeal? Unfortunately, I don't have instagram (Feels like I'm not much of a social person, ugh...) But it'd be very cool to keep in contact!**

* * *

The new term has begun and all students has taken up their usual routine again. Wake up early, take a breakfast, commute to school and talk about everything and nothing with friends, and needless to mention that the hot topic of the day was summer break.

Amidst the sunbathing-at-the-beach talks, the family-gathering talks and all, Ritsu walked alone as usual, quietly enjoying her way to school. Reaching the gate, she caught a glimpse of Akashi, whom was coming from the opposite way and turned at the gate. Without losing a second, she hurried her way to him.

"Good morning, Akashi-kun!"

Recognizing the voice, the red-haired boy turned his head and smiled at her. "Hello, Asaka."

Ritsu stared at his face for a few seconds, her lips burned to say something important to him. She waited the whole holidays to tell him directly.

"I know I'm a bit late to say that but..." She leaned a bit forward to get a better view of his face and said cheerfully, "Congratulations for winning the championship!"

A faint smile softened his stern facial traits, and he uttered appreciatedly : "Thank you."

"The Teikō basketball club truly lives up to its reputation as a powerhouse, and it surely is on a good way to become invincible with you four in the team. I recently read in the August issue of _Monthly Basketball_ that they named you the «Generation of Miracles»."

"You read those?" Akashi seemed surprised to hear it.

"My little brother buys them every month since he got an interest in basketball. I just happened to look at it at home."

The August Issue of that magazine was mainly focused on the biggest basketball event of summer, the Nationals, which determined the strongest school of the year for both middle and high school. She glanced through the pages out of curiosity since the day Momoi told her by phone that the basketball club won the championship, and well even if she hadn't a great interest for the sport itself, she couldn't have missed the double-page spread on their victory. There was a commemorative photo of the whole Teikō basketball team on which the captain, Nijimura, was holding proudly a huge trophy and around him, all the other players were brimming with happiness flaunting their medals around their necks ; and short interviews of players and the coaches.

It was a simple article yet, there was this quote in italic and bold characters which gave another dimension to her reading : «_**Five young basketball prodigies, a generation of miracles**_». When she found it in the text, it spoke about their prowesses for winning all official competitions of the year with a rare talent, seeing as they were only first-years in middle school, and that in the next years, people would continue to hear about them.

Thinking about it, the middle school Basketball Nationals must have been a real sight to have been been so lauded for their achievements.

"You're getting famous. Not only did you win the championship but your team is somehow like the revelation of the year in the basketball world." She said lightly. "Well, it's how I see it."

Since she was at it, she also browsed the article on the high school champion, which was a school named Rakuzan from Kyoto. Apparently, they were in the top three of the strongest school in the basketball junior league for a decade, so it was needless to mention how talented and powerful this club was. However, by comparing the two articles, it felt like Teikō had gotten all the spotlight this year.

"The Generation of Miracles..." mused Akashi.

Ritsu heard him and looked at him from the corner of her eyes. His expression was the same as usual but his tone was deeper than the one implying a fleeting thought or a sarcasm. That title didn't left him indifferent but not in the way she imagined. Well, Akashi showed his emotions through subtle manners, and naturally, there's no way he would jump for joy or make a victory dance to show his happiness. On the commemorative photo, she remembered well his soft and proud smile. However, seeing him concerned about this title was quite surprising. Somewhat, she expected him to brush it off.

"You think they're exagerrating?"

At her question, Akashi slightly raised his chin, as though he was drawn out of his thoughts.

"It's the highest praise an athlete can hope for." He acknowledged. "I don't have much to say about it and I gladly receive it, but be that as it may, it goes along with a heavy responsability."

_The pressure to win_.

"Like a burden?"

"As far as I am concerned, striving for victory has never been much of a burden, I rather found it natural to do so. I don't see the point in doing something without efforts."

"So by responsability, you meant as an obligation to yourself."

Akashi added nothing to her comment, but even without a clear answer, Ritsu knew that she wasn't mistaken. Although very brief, the corner of his lips did pull up.

"You're a hardworker to the bone."

Quite far from the image of the genius who does everything perfectly without breaking a sweat. Genius or not, Akashi sure spares no efforts in everything he's doing and has undoubtedly put many hours of work and practice to reach such a level of perfection, though she didn't completely reject the idea of a natural talent. No matter how much hours, days or months, there are things that she'd never master in her whole life. But that aside, maybe this obligation of his was the secret to walk on a brillant path.

Somewhere, in the deepest part of herself, she was kind of envious of him. How strange...Not long ago, all she had for him was simple admiration, but now it felt like she wanted more. Looking at him from afar was not enough, she felt the desire to catch him up – As an athlete...and as an individual.

As she mused on him, she smiled internally. It won't be easy, knowing the character. His diligence and determination are setting the standards pretty high.

"The only moment when I can rest is when I win."

His words came out so smoothly that Ritsu couldn't help but laugh.

"You really like winning!"

Both in front the entrance hall, Akashi pulled the door and invited her to step in first.

As she got in, she slipped a little tease to him. "But don't push yourself too hard, Akashi-kun. From what I'm hearing, it doesn't sound like you're resting much."

"It's all right."

He gave her a conniving look along with a smile.

"I do not know defeat."

As he said that, his smile seemed to twist into a smirk in her eyes. That was some assertive statement, although she found it preposterous. But on a second thought, if it was Akashi, that might be true. Thinking of which, she has yet seen him lost a game or she has never heard somebody say the contrary since she met him.

So he has never lost in anything in his life.

At the thought, Ritsu forced a laugh. Perhaps, Akashi was more of an alien than she believed.

After putting their indoor shoes in the hall, they both headed to their classroom but on their track, they came across Midorima at his shoe locker.

"Hello, Midorima-kun."

At the greeting, the green-haired boy glared at her. Yet it wasn't his usual stern greeting to her, he was suddenly pissed off by something or by someone, and sadly to say but that someone was, at ninety-nine percent, her. She was likely the cause of his high blood pressure this early in the morning.

Ritsu didn't know what she did or said wrong and maybe was he just in bad mood after seeing her face, but well, she didn't say anything about it. Since their first meeting, Midorima has always given her the cold shoulder and has always had something to be upset about her, so she kind of got used to it to not lose her temper. And in fact, he was quite charming this way.

"Asaka. I didn't give you my contact number for you to play around with it or send me awful pictures." He told her off while rummaging through his school bag. He took out his cellphone and showed to Akashi and her, a picture. "What's the meaning of this?"

"AH!" exclaimed Ritsu in shock.

It was the photo Hoshino took in her sleep and sent to Akashi and Midorima at the training camp. Embarrassed, she leaped to the phone and slammed shut the flip in one swift movement.

"Hey!"

"Y-You've kept it!"

Midorima stiffened at the remark.

"...Don't get any weird ideas, Asaka. I kept it to have an explanation. If I had erased it, I'm sure you'd have tried to deny that you sent it to me. I don't want my mail box to be flooded by stupid messages and photos of you."

Better not play many pranks on Midorima, it seemed very painful to deal with him later. That aside, she already found it strange that she didn't receive a single reply from him concerning the photo. Not that day, not even the rest of the summer holidays. So, having him react this way was kind of relieving, though she'd have preferred that he had erased this cursed picture.

"And what's up with the message? «To my pri»—"

"Ah-Ah!" Ritsu tried to cover his words with her voice as she hushed him with both hands on his mouth.

That message was already embarrassing in writing but hearing it out loud was more than she could take. How could Midorima say it without blushing?

"That photo, Asaka sent it to me as well." Akashi broke in the conversation quietly.

"Akashi-kun...!" Ritsu interjected, his intervention didn't help her at all.

"You too, Akashi?"

"I still have it."

"...Y-You've kept it too, Akashi-kun?"

"You'd better remove it." Midorima recommended.

"Like you're one to talk, Midorima-kun. Erase it already! Both of you!"

Ritsu sighed exasperatedly. To think this photo was saved in their phone memory for so long, she was at a loss of words. Midorima had his reason, very peculiar, but still. However, as for why Akashi had yet erased it off his phone, she couldn't figure it out. His reply had only been a greeting and the exchange had ended there. Truth to be told, the fact he said nothing more than a simple "good morning" was even more disturbing for her. Through it, it gave her the impression he wasn't bothered by it and somehow... liked the picture. Just by thinking about it, she wanted to hide into a hole.

"I will! Frankly, you should know when to stop a joke, Asaka." Midorima scolded her.

"Listen, it wasn't me. My seniors in the club played a prank on me while I was asleep. They sneaked into my room, took a photo with my cellphone and decided to send it to the both of you among all of my contacts." explained Ritsu, asking herself when this awkwarding situation would end.

"So it was just to the both of us." noted Akashi amusingly.

Ritsu blushed as she came to understand what he implied. "L-Like I said it was prank, there's nothing deep into it...and well, perhaps, I woke up before they could send it to the others like Aomine-kun or Murasakibara-kun. So..."

A smirk slightly tugged his lips. Ritsu got the feeling she just had been made fun of by him. Once again.

"Of course, there's no meaning to it." Midorima responded in a curt and serious tone barely figuring out what was going on between the two. He then adjusted his glasses and went on, "Anyway, I will ask you to refrain yourself from playing pranks with your cellphone."

"You don't have to tell me..." She was about to add more like the name of the real culprit which was her senior, Hoshino Wakana. But at this point, she no longer had the strength to confront a stubborn Midorima.

"I'd spent a really bad day after reading that message. Astrological sign compatibility must not be underestimated." He said as a note to himself.

"I don't think our astrological sign compatibility has anything to do with your daily fortune, Midorima-kun." She retorted flatly as she rolled her eyes. Around them, she noticed some long gazes on their little group, and peculiarily on Akashi and Midorima. The girls giggled and the boys looked at them with both curiosity and new admiration. Noticing that, she remembered something important. "Oh, speaking of good things. Congratulations for winning the championship, Midorima-kun!"

Midorima stared at her without saying anything. When he looked away and he began to walk off, he simply said : "Thank you."

Ritsu cracked a smile. Along Akashi, she followed him.

"In your case, things didn't go so well, did it?" Midorima asked out of the blue.

"Eeer...Hm, yes." Ritsu stammered, surprised that he actually knew about this news. Aside Akashi and Momoi, she didn't think the others would care about it. "We lost at the quarter-final. How did you know?"

"Shōhei told me."

It's no wonder, then. Ever since he has met Midorima on that basketball playground, her little brother, Shōhei, was hooked on him and his talent for basketball. Whether it was at the club that Shōhei was registered in and Midorima had gone to during his elementary school years or the place of their first encounter, those two met several times over summer break to play basketball. And as pushy as her little brother can be, he requested her many times to contact Midorima for them to meet and practice together. Despite his relunctance, Midorima has never turned down any of his invitations and went along Shōhei's pace. They got along well.

"I see. Are you concerned about it?" She raised the question even if the answer was obvious. He wouln't ask disinterestedly.

"You've worked hard for this tournament. It's just a shame your team and you couldn't go further."

If she didn't know Midorima as much as she did now, she would have laughed it off and teased him for being all honest all of a sudden. But when it came to efforts and hardwork, Midorima took it seriously. They were words he kept as his motto and qualities he acknowledged in people. It was genuine of him and she couldn't simply laugh at it when knowing that.

She smiled at him then looked straight at the path ahead of her.

"Sad to say we can't always win. I wanted to win and wished to say wholeheartedly that I had fun participating in this tournament...Well, I did have fun, but it'd have been greater if we had been victorious all the way. Losing does hurt your pride, doesn't it?" She let out a faint but awkward chuckle. "So in order not to feel this again, _I _will win next year with my team."

Midorima and Akashi stayed silent, both musing on her. As the green-haired boy shifted his attention away, he uttered with satisfaction : "You've changed."

Ritsu casted a strange look at him, then at Akashi whom silently concurred with his teammate, a pleased smile on his lips.

* * *

Two weeks and a half have passed, summer break was now far behind and days were slowly getting shorter. Ritsu was walking alone on the dark school ground seeing no soul around. Of course they wouldn't be many students wandering around at this hour. It was late, the sun had already set down. After practice, she had stayed behind to perfect her spikes until Hareki came to tell her that she had to tidy up. She helped her and seperated soon after, Hareki went to put the key of the gymnasium back in the staff room.

On her way, she passed by the gymnasium where the basketball club were usually practicing. The lights were off. Their practice seemed to have ended for quite a while. Guess she had gone a bit overboard with practice today. Generally, the basketball club was one of the few clubs that finished late.

Ahead of her, she caught sight of Momoi, also making her way home alone.

"Momoi-chan!"

The girl turned around as Ritsu ran up to her, "Asaka-chan! You were still here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. I stayed behind to practice a bit more." Ritsu chuckled.

"Ah! It's not safe anymore, Asaka-chan!" Momoi exclaimed all of a sudden, then she moved closer to her and whispered as if she was about to told her a secret information. "You'd better watch out around this hour. Lately, I've heard rumors about a ghost that haunts the gymnasium where the basketball club's third string is practicing!"

"A ghost...haunting a gymnasium?"

_Why there of all places?_, Ritsu asked herself sceptically. That aside, it was the same gymnasium that the volleyball club was using since it often happens that the basketball club's third-string practice schedule coincided with theirs. She never heard about such rumours, even in the volleyball club, as far as she recalled it. And today, when she was practicing, she didn't hear or notice anyhing suspect.

"Some students who were passing by there around this time said they saw lights and the sound of a ball coming from the gymnasium when there shouldn't be anyone inside. It was like someone was playing with a ball."

"It must be someone who was practicing late, no?"

Momoi's face got closer. "That's what they thought but when they went to check it out, they found no one inside and the moment they were about to leave, something popped up next to them! They said it the ghost of boy. Pretty scary, isn't it?"

"Oh...I'll be careful, then." Ritsu couldn't come up with a better response. Even if she wanted to believe it, it would only be for the fun. "And you as well, Momoi-chan...You're staying rather late recently."

"You don't believe me!" She scowled at her seeing through her.

"Er, well, sorry, Momoi-chan, but that's a bit too big for me to believe it."

The pink-haired girl let out a sigh of defeat. "I also warned Aomine-kun about it some time ago but he doesn't look like to care about it."

"Sounds like him." Ritsu said, which made the girl smile. "Talking about him, he's not with you?"

She shook her head soflty and began to walk.

"These past days, I haven't seen him practicing much with the others or walked home with him. Even Nijimura-san and Akashi-kun have no idea where he's wandering off."

Ritsu was surprised to hear it. A basketball freak like Aomine had other priorities than basketball, it sounded almost unbelievable. But the more surprising thing in that was the fact that Momoi didn't know what Aomine was doing.

"He's skipping?"

"I don't think so, he loves basketball too much to even think of skipping a practice" She assured with a sweet smile. "Well, I asked him about it and he said he found someone fun to practice with at school, and since he was practicing, I let it go. Besides, Nijimura-san and Akashi-kun said it was fine by them as long as they know he keeps training."

That _someone_ must be truly amazing for Aomine to choose to practice with him over the people of the first-string. But somebody as great as that shouldn't be playing in the first-string in the first place? So it could only mean that he/she was from another string or wasn't in the basketball club at all.

Concluding this, Ritsu glanced at the girl who was quieter than usual. "You're worried?"

Momoi tilted her head in a vague manner.

"Not really but I can't help it either. Aomine-kun has nothing else in sight but basketball and tends to do as he pleases. Someone has to put him on the right track or he'd slack off, or even worse make a mistake."

Taking care of Aomine sure looked to be a lot of work. Of course, Momoi was saying it in the sense that the boy could be hopeless concerning many aspects of his life. Yet, by considering on a deeper level, it also sounded as if Aomine could become helpless if no one was behind his back or at least try to. Ritsu could almost laugh at herself for even imagining that, there's no way Aomine could possibly show such a weakness. In either case, he just...

"He can't be left alone." Ritsu concluded.

Momoi confirmed with a nod, her expression softened. "It always has been so since we were kids, so it sort of become an habit to look after him. Especially when basketball is involved."

"Is that why you chose to be a manager in the club? You want to support him?"

"Hm," She nodded, this time a warm smile was drawn on her face, "I have to stay with him to keep an eye on him but that's not the whole reason I decided to join the same club as him. I can't play basketball well, not good enough to enter the women basketball team."

"It's rare to hear you so unconfident."

Perhaps was she seeing Momoi too much as an optimistic character who would rather try and gave her all in something instead of a girl who would giving up before even trying.

The pink-haired girl laughed in a soft way. "Well...I've actually never tried to because I've never felt the desire to play basketball. But I like watching it. That's why I signed up as a manager in the basketball club. This way I do the things I like, and in truth..."

Momoi fell silent, her grip tightened around her school bag handles.

"I like seeing Aomine-kun playing basketball. He looks so happy and seems to have fun, and it's even more visible with other players. Sometimes, it makes me envious to know how much fun he has in playing basketball. On the other hand, doesn't it make you want to join him on a game or follow him?"

"It does. He's literally dragging you into the basketball world just with just his passion."

That time, in the street basketball court, she felt that way when playing with Aomine. Even a girl like her who has never been attracted by the sports came to feel and understand a part of the fun and thrills of basketball games. Against him, there were nothing else but basketball, and maybe it explained why he was so dazzling. His passion was all it took for him to captivate other people.

"Hehe, Aomine-kun told me you played basketball with him."

"Just once."

"Next time, let's play together, with everyone!" chirped Momoi, excited by the idea.

"By everyone...you mean Akashi-kun, Murasakibara-kun and Midorima-kun?"

"Yes! The more, the merrier! Something's bothering you?" A mischievous smile was drawn on her face. She moved closer to her and asked, "Is it because of Akashi-kun? You want to show yourself in your best light!"

"Akashi-kun? N-No, it's not that." Ritsu averted her eyes and tapped her chin in reflexion. "I think Akashi-kun has already seen enough of my poor talent in basketball in PE classes. Playing against Aomine-kun is one thing, but against Midorima-kun or Murasakibara-kun is another...I can already hear them tell me how bad I am in basketball."

"We'll be two then!"

Ritsu had nothing to retort and gave in, even if she was sure Momoi was more capable than her in basketball. Nevertheless, she liked the idea. So, maybe one day, they would all have fun playing basketball.


	39. Ghostly link

**Thank you for reading this story.**

**_TouMikasa _: Yes, the phantom sixth man will finally make his appearance. Kuroko is on his way to get into the first string! It won't take long. Hehe, and many thanks for the interest you have for this fic! Means a lot to me!**

* * *

Ritsu walked out of the music room and thanked her music teacher for her time. She contemplated the dusky sky through the windows. On the horizon, the sun went down and would disappear in a few minutes. She checked the hour on her phone and thought she still had time to pass by the sports shop to buy new volleyball gears. It was on her way, anyways.

Outside, she was welcomed by a cool breeze. Crossing the courtyard, she noticed the ligths on in the gymnasium usually used by her club. At this hour, the facility should have been emptied out by the basketball club third-string, and moreover, the volleyball club didn't hold a practice today, meainng there shouldn't be anyone inside. Unless it was a group of students who decided to practiced a bit longer.

Ritsu looked away without more curiosity, but as she felt another cold breeze blown on her face, she suddenly recalled the ghost rumours which Momoi talked her about days ago. She stopped on her track and looked suspiciously at the facility. She had nothing to lose by going take a look, except her time.

Driven by curiosity, Ritsu arrived near the place and kept her ears open at the door. She heard nothing aside the wind. But as soon as she grabbed the door handle to step inside, the sound of ball came out. She froze on the spot, a chill ran down her spine but she didn't stop half-way. Unconsciously, she closed her eyes, hoping that when she opened them, there would be someone inside.

"Asaka?"

That voice, it belonged to Aomine. She opened one eye and then exclaimed in relief. "Ah...Aomine-kun! It's just you!"

The navy-haired boy raised an eyebrow at her reaction.

"You expected someone else?"

"No, you being there is just fine! It's good to see you!"

"Hey, you're okay, Asaka? You're making no sense."

"D-Don't mind it." She just said after composing her thoughts.

She couldn't tell him she was happy to have come upon him instead of a wandering ghost. He would laugh at her for believing these kind of things, and in those rumors circulating around school as well. Guess she was more gullible than she thought.

Aomine swept his sweat with his t-shirt, he was in the middle of practicing as it seemed. In all evidences, the rumours had surely spreaded because of him practicing very late. However, how did it even come out? It wasn't possible to mistake Aomine for a ghost.

"You're practicing alone?"

"Nope, I'm playing with this guy!" He grinned and showed with his thumb someone on his left. But Ritsu quirked an eyebrow.

"Er, I don't see anyone beside you."

"What?" He looked around. Seeing nobody besides him, he suddenly exclaimed in shock, "Wait! He was there just a minute ago! Oi, where did you go, Tetsu? Tetsu!"

Seeing him shouting the name of an unknown boy made her worry. There was just the two of them inside this gymnasium, she already checked it out.

"Aomine-kun...Did you hit your head when play—"

Out of nowhere, a basketball bounced heavily on the parquet and rolled at her feet. Ritsu gawked at the ball, wondering where it came from.

"Oops. It slipped my hands."

At her feet, there was a boy who came to pick up the ball. Coming out of nowhere.

"Waah!"

Her heart missed a beat. At this sudden apparition, Ritsu recoiled violently and banged into the door.

"What are you doing, Tetsu?" asked Aomine, the least surprised to see the mysterious boy. "Asaka's almost got a heart attack."

"It wasn't my intention. I went to pick up the ball while you were talking but I stumbled and the ball slipped my hands." explained the boy. Then he brought his attention on her and slightly bowed to apologize.

When he lifted his head up again and stared at her, Asaka got the impression she had seen him somewhere. Those blue eyes and those teal hair...

"Oh, yeah, that's Tetsu!" Aomine introduced him to her.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, it's nice to meet you." The teal-haired boy re-introduced himself in a more polite way.

"«_Kuroko_»?" Ritsu repeated as his name rang a bell. Like a flash in her mind, a wave of memories surged, and she came to recall the day she had come across him. "You were the ghost in the Haunted House at the school festival!"

"I was. You remembered?" Kuroko looked at her in disbelief.

"You saved us, Akashi-kun and me, in the Haunted House." She chuckled.

Impossible for her to forget that event. Akashi and her crossed the haunted house in the dark because of a defective flashlight and had to feel their way until they met Kuroko, who hadn't been much luckier than them. He got struck by a visitor and collapsed after bumping his head. Despite all, all's well that ends well.

"We even got to win the ultimate treasure. Thanks to you!" She added.

Kuroko had been their light and their luck among darkness. After this little adventure, she never had the chance to thank him for his help, not even ask his name. He just disappeared as he came. Unexpectedly.

"Come to think about it, we've never asked you your name and I don't think I introduce myself too, so let's do it all over again. I'm Asaka Ritsu and it's nice to meet you again, Kuroko-kun!" chirped Ritsu.

Kuroko gave her a smile.

"So, what's bringing you here, Asaka? You forgot something?" enquired Aomine, breaking the light mood of their unexpected encounter.

"Um, something like that." She answered vaguely as she raised her nose to the ceiling and tapped her chin in reflection. She was a bit ashamed to have believed in those ghost rumours, even for a second. "But I've never thought I'd bump into you here."

The feeling of embarrassement passed, she lowered her gaze on the basketball that Kuroko was holding.

"That's where you're practicing lately. I heard from Momoi-chan not long ago that you're sneaking out of practice and wandered off somewhere. Everyone in your club seems to be wondering about your whereabouts."

Aomine sighed and rubbed the nape of neck. "It's not like I try to make a secret of it. There just isn't too many people here around this hour, it's easier to move around and I can try out a few new moves without being yelled at by Midorima and Murasakibara for messing around. Those two can't enjoy true basketball!"

In short, he found a haven of tranquility in this place. Well, the basketball club was the most popular in Teikō and attracted many athletes each year. As she heard from her seniors, there must be over an hundred of students registered in, and moreover, the basketball club had one tough training program to live up to its reputation. So when comparing the two atmostpheres, this place was surely different from the daily agitation and tumult of his club.

"At least, Tetsu knows what it is to play basketball! He usually practices here alone, so I simply join him. It's way more fun to play with him!"

And perhaps, there was floating less of this thick impression of competition in the air, here.

"Oh, right, you're in the basketball club too, Kuroko-kun?" Ritsu noted that piece of information.

He nodded. "In the third-string."

"Third-string?"

It happened for her to take a look at the third-string's practice when they were sharing the gymnasium. Yet, she barely remembered having seen his face once. Obviously, she couldn't remember all faces, and besides she didn't always have keep an eye on what happened on the other half of the gymnasium, but it was kind of strange to have never caught sight of him at least once. He couldn't be invisible.

Noticing her long stare on him, Kuroko tilted his head and asked, "Something is wrong?"

"...Ah, no. Just thought that the world is really small!" She said nervously.

Kuroko stared back at her, his expression was as flat as white sheet of paper. Yet, his blue eyes seemed to express more of him, through this faint glint shining inside. Then, without pressing the matter further, he turned to his basketball partner.

"Aomine-kun, we should stop for today."

"'Kay, let's call it a day! It's getting late, anyway." Aomine grinned. "Asaka, you're going home too?"

"I got some errands to do at the sports shop."

"I also have to stop by the bookstore."

"It's on the way to the station. Why don't we make the way together until then?" suggested the navy-haired boy.

"I don't mind." Kuroko replied.

"Better than being alone." Ritsu went along the suggestion. "I'll wait outside while you're getting changed."

The two boys went to the locker room and she went outside. A few minutes later, the light went off and Kuroko carefully locked the door behind him.

"I'll go put back the key to the staff room."

"We'll be at the gate, then!"

Quietly walking across the empty courtyard, their footsteps echoed on the cobblestone road.

"Kuroko-kun looks like a nice boy but a bit mysterious. I can't believe I failed to notice him. It's like he wasn't there at all."

"I still haven't gotten used to it yet." topped Aomine, crossing his arms behind his head.

"It's only recently that you met him, right?"

"Ah, by chance. We hit it off right away, though. He practices there almost every day after club and I stay behind with him."

"Kuroko must be strong to be your practice partner."

"More or less. But if you ask me, you have your chance against him."

"That's not very nice to Kuroko-kun." Ritsu disagreed, not believing it at all. "Third-string or not, he's a member of a famous baskeball club, he can't be that bad."

Even if Kuroko were to be new at basketball when he registered in the club in spring , he must have shown progresses and attained a level higher than an novice since then. After five months of training, anyone would be. Furthermore, it was the famous Teikō basketball club she was talking about. Training there was tough, and as a result, many dropped out after one or two months because of the difficulty and the pressure. So him being in the third-string and still there attested enough of his capacities, given how much things she heard about the basketball club from Momoi and Akashi.

"You said it!" Aomine snorted. "But I'm not joking about the small gap of level."

Ritsu tilted her head, still unconvinced. "Well, you know him better than me. That said, it's kind of surprising. You and him."

In fact, she would have never guessed that a simple and calm boy like him could be Aomine's new basketball partner. For a first impression, he looked kind of weak, physically speaking of course. He was rather thin and small, and so, far from corresponding to the image of well-built body of an athlete. He lacked muscles, as though he didn't do sports, which is not the case since he was doing basketball. Even Akashi, who had approximatively the same built as him, showed much more shapes...or maybe her view of his body was distorted due to that impressive aura of his.

She didn't meant ill by thinking like that, she just wondered how Kuroko and Aomine came to practice together. They were both opposites.

"Why's that?"

Aomine glanced at her quizzically. From her silence, he got a reply, nonetheless.

"Um...I won't tell you he has a great level in basketball, but that doesn't matter to me frankly." He lowered his arms and hauled his school bag over his right shoulder. "I can tell he's serious about basketball, you should see how much he's practicing every day. In spite of being in the third-string, Tetsu has nothing to be envious about the guys in the first-string. He can do as much as every one of us there and even more. He just needs to round out...his technique." Aomine paused, suddenly musing on what he just said, as if it sounded funny. "Ah, but I guess that won't happen anytime soon."

"As I listen to you, I honestly can't figure if Kuroko-kun is good or bad at basketball." She jested. "But you do look up to him."

"Of course, he's kind of impressive. There's no way a guy who does so much efforts can't become strong. On the other hand, I know he has to work his ass off if he wants to reach his goal of entering in the team. His level is still too low, but despite that, he doesn't give up and keeps trying on and on to go through what he decided."

Aomine truly believed in Kuroko to progress in basketball, and had hope that he'd make it to the first-string someday. For him, Kuroko simply needed time to progress and show his worth, and it didn't matter for him if it took him a month or a year to achieve in basketball. As long as he keeps trying, all doors won't shut and some might open to him one day.

"When I see him trying so hard, I can't resist the desire to play and do my best in basketball too! We both love basketball!"

Ritsu didn't expect less from Aomine. He likes the excitement and thrills in basketball, and only people who loves basketball as much as he does could bring him that joy. That's why he liked Kuroko. Not for his talent but for his love for the sport.

"Besides, when it comes to it, we do get along well! I've a hell of fun playing with him!"

As he spoke fondly of Kuroko, he slightly turned his head with a bright smile and said :

"I'd really like to hit the court with him one day! If there's someone who can make his way to the first-string, it's him!"

In that moment, his smile was simply beautiful. Ritsu was unsure of what makes it so sweet to her eyes, his very passion that drove him always further or his strong charisma that pushed one to move forward, perhaps was it both she saw in that smile. Just how far his love for basketball actually goes?

"I'm here."

A monotonous voice broke in next to the tanned boy.

"T-Tetsu?!" Aomine spun around and met the calm Kuroko near him. "That was quick! You teleported?"

"I don't have that kind of power, Aomine-kun. I met the janitor on the way and he told me to go home quick since it's late and that he'd put back the keys for me."

"Oh, I see..." Aomine then averted his eyes in a nervous way. "You heard what I just said?"

"Heard what?" Kuroko asked cluelessly.

"N-No, nevermind." The navy-haired boy stuttered, not sure if his partner had said the truth or not. "At least, make some noises to let us know you're near!"

"I was walking normally, I even hurried here. I think you should have heard me coming perfectly well."

Aomine exchanged a look with Ritsu, trying to get a confirmation that she didn't heard nothing as well.

"Your footsteps are too light! Stamp your feet on the ground and make it shake under you like Godzilla!" As he said that, Aomine stamped the ground several times as an exemple. "Like that, we'll hear you!"

Kuroko watched him do, then simply told him, "I can't do that, I'm a lightweight person."

The corner of Ritsu's lips twitched, on the verge of laughing. Was Kuroko doing it on purpose, those witty comments coming straight out of a comical skit? Or was it just spontaneous? She couldn't tell by his attitude. His expression was flat, just as his tone. A real enigma.

"Yeah, but that'd be really cool to see!"

Nonetheless, there was one thing she was certain after seeing them together : their strong bond.

Kuroko smiled gently at his basketball partner and Aomine was beaming.

* * *

A mellow music floated in the air, without a discordant note to break it soft rhythm. Not a noise, not not a word, not a breath, just the sound of piano filled the classroom and carried all into an ephemeral world of wonders. Ritsu played the last notes and stopped her hands above the keys. A fleeting silence followed and continued on and on. Hearing nothing, she brought her gaze on the sole person with her inside the room, Akashi. He was seating at a desk near the window side.

She didn't know what had driven him to come along her in the music room and listen to her, he merely said he had time to kill. And he sure had time to kill, his mind seemed elsewhere, looking off at a blank point in the sky. It also didn't seem like he noticed that the music stopped. Such a rare sight to see him so absent-minded.

Ritsu avoided to make any abrupt movements and observed him. Akashi was in deep thoughts, disconnected from the world through the music she played. Although she would like to assume his silence was due an appreciation of her music, she could see that he was concerned by a different matter. It wasn't just an intuition or a mere observation of the moment, Akashi was in that thoughtful state these past few days. She never tried to ask him what was on his mind, thinking of it as ordinary absences of mind, even if she was speaking of Akashi. And, even if she noted this curious attitude, it was subtle enough not to bring great attention from other people, so she wasn't much bothered by it. But seeing as he was behaving like this for quite awhile, a small part of her still remained curious.

Leaving Akashi alone, she peeked over her right shoulder at the sky behind her. Gray clouds veiled the scenery, while around forty minutes ago, the sun was still shining.

"Afraid that it'll rain on your way home? The sky is all covered now."

Snapping out of meditation, his lips parted opened and a glint in his eyes shone again.

"You finished?"

"About five minutes ago."

"My bad. I didn't intend to be so rude." He apologised, slightly shaking his head. "I was thinking about something."

"Is it about Aomine-kun?"

"Aomine?" Given his surprised tone, she was wrong.

"No, nevermind." She replied instantly. "I just notice lately that you seem bothered by something, so I've just thought it might be concerning Aomine because of the recent rumors. And don't take it bad but it's rare to catch you inattentive."

Akashi didn't dismiss the comment, he then stood up and stood by the windows, cheking the weather.

"I was thinking back of the Nationals."

Aside the fact that Akashi didn't try to avoid the subject, the object of his concerns was what surprised her the most. The Basketball Nationals, was he bothered by that title "_Generation of Miracles_", despite all he said? She remembered his grave look and his toughtful tone when she mentioned it to him.

"What about it?"

The question slipped her lips as her silent curiosity suddenly surged from within.

"Do you know why we are called the _Generation of Miracles_?"

"Because your team won all competitions with flying colors."

Or so she read in the magazine. In truth, she hardly believed in such great success in sports, and those doubts certainly rose from the fact she never saw the basketball team play in an official game or that she lacked knowledge in that field. Even so, as an athlete herself, she was sure that the world of competition couldn't be so one-sided, despite her ignorance of the basketball world. No matter how gifted they were, a game could be won easily but a whole tournament was another story.

"That's exact, we won." He confirmed, yet a subtle note in his tone dismissed it at the same time.

A pregnant silence pervaded the room. Then, a raindrop splashed on the window panes and broke the silence, before many others followed the next seconds.

"However, we weren't close to perfection either." continued Akashi as he watched the rain fell outside. "We encountered many difficult nay risky situations that could have cost us victory more than once, and they could have been avoided if we had had played differently."

So it was just as she thought about their victory. Nonetheless, she was mistaken about the matter of his concerns. He wasn't pressured by the title nor his club, what he was preoccupied about was the performances of his team and its future. What he could do to improve it in the best possible. Generation of Miracles or not.

"In other words, things could have been improved for your team?"

"More or less. Perfect games don't exist, we'll always face one or many obstacles in a match and, depending on the team, overcoming them is no easy task. A misjudgement or a mistake are all it takes to overturn a game. Admittedly luck was on our side so far, yet I'm not one to accept insouciantly such a reason as a viable ground for our team to evolve and be victorious next year."

Ritsu carefully listened to him, having nothing to add to his statement. True enough, Teikō was strong not to rely on fortune and all to win like a second-rate team would do. And yet, Akashi didn't completely reject it as a factor of their victory, which removed the invicibility aspect of their team in a way. Of course, saying that they were like any other teams would be an understatement, but she understood his point, nonetheless. The Teikō basketball team needed more than luck or random factors to grow as the Generation of Miracles, and that was _talent_.

"On that account, I'm thinking of a type of player that will be able to get us through those thorny situations and make a difference inside a game."

"Like a trump card."

Akashi acknowledged without another word.

"But do you think he exists? It almost sounds like a super-hero-like player who comes to the team rescue at a pinch. Not that the idea is bad, it's just that a single player cannot be the solution to all problems, and a team can't work that way."

"It's as you say, every game is different and requires a specific solution for each cases. It's practically impossible to predict in advance the developpment of a game. Which makes it difficult to find a guy who could easily make a big difference." He paused. "Or it probably explains why he doesn't exist yet."

Ritsu didn't grasp the last part. "What do you mean by _yet_?"

"Make it come to light."

"What?"

Upon hearing her reaction, Akashi shifted his attention on her as he explained himself.

"What makes a game unpredictable is the two teams facing each other, your opponents and your teammates. The tide of a game is mostly influenced because both teams tries to read the other's movements, and consequently the margin of error widens in that attempt because of a lack of information or a misreading of a situation."

Despite his low voice, the rain barely covered it and seemed to emphaze each of his words full of solemnity. No wonder Akashi had his mind elsewhere these past days, the reflection he gave on that matter was rather consequent and well-reasoned. It wasn't a simple idea that surfaced in his mind one day and that would be casted away the next day.

"But this margin of error can be narrowed. What a player should know best inside a game is his own team. Good communication and trust are the keys to victory, seeing as they reduce the number of your team mistakes and leave only small openings to exploit. The sole problem is that the team bond ought to be strong for it to work perfectly."

Akashi wasn't wrong at all. Reading one's own team allowed less errors of judgement and can be easier for a player to grasp and play efficiently. But then, as he said, it depended on the team.

"What you want is someone who can read your team and act solely in that way...?"

"A player that only the Teikō basketball team can need."

Akashi confirmed in his words.

"Our team has its flaws, mainly concerning cohesion."

Ritsu tilted her head, something escaped her grasp.

"Why do you need a specific player to strengthen your teamwork? Isn't it a problem you should resolve with members of your own team? I might speak of something I don't exactly know, but you all are doing a teamsport like basketball not to just play all on your own."

He considered her questions, then took his attention back outside.

"We are, yet I can't bind the others to a full teamwork strategy, it'd be nothing but a waste of their talent. Our team can only be more efficient this way."

"Sounds to me, you're taking the easy way, Akashi-kun."

"Do you see another alternative?" Akashi asked without casting a glance at her.

Ritsu slightly frowned. Of course she wouldn't have one. There was a limit to her insight, it was too specific for her to give a smart answer. She more or less understood Akashi's intentions, the need of a powerful team was different from an average one. Sometimes teamwork was more of an obstacle than a miracle solution. But would his team really grow stronger like this?

"Prioritizing teamwork over their individual skills can't work for our team. Be it Aomine, Midorima, Murasakibara or Haizaki, they have no shortcomings to compensate in others nor do they have ones that must be compensated by others."

Meaning their individual skills were suffisant enough not to rely on people to achieve victory, concluded Ritsu to herself..

"We're past the level where teamwork exists to support one another."

"What is it for, then?"

The piercing glance she got from him made her anxious.

"To win."

She could have joked about it but nothing in his tone made her laugh. In that moment, she had the impression of speaking with another person. It went beyond his attitude, was she disappointed by his answer or by being aware of the fact that their vision of a team was not the same, to the point she couldn't wholly accept that it was Akashi himself who said so.

He made it sound like teamwork was a mere and necessary tool to achieve victory, while for her, it went beyond the bound of a group working together. Well, Akashi never hid his predisposition to victory. He liked to win, that was a fact. In spite finding this character trait rather interesting and cute in him, there were times when she had an uncanny feeling about him. He felt distant.

"In order to win, an athlete has to know how to grasp victory by his own means. The same goes for a team, its members work together to increase their chance of victory, not because they have to rely on someone to win."

Outside, the rain sounded to intensify as he walked up to her. Heavily. He stopped near her who was sat down on the piano stool and stared her down. She couldn't explain this feeling of intimidation on the moment she crossed his gaze. Her whole being seemed trapped by his eyes. It didn't last yet she couldn't have imaginated it either. What was this lingering impression?

"Each member of our team can manage on their own. That is Teikō's way."

She gulped. "...Still and all, you're not giving up on teamwork."

Akashi raised his eyebrows.

"As skilled as we are, I think teamwork is most needed in our case. The full potential of a player can only be released when the game conditions work for him, and only a team can create such perfect and optimal conditions. It'd be foolish of me to give up on it."

_For victory's sake_. Somehow, those words resonated less coldly now. His vision of a team may be a lot more pragmatic than hers, but Akashi knew the true value of a team.

"The day we stop playing as a team, we'll certainly lose. However, that is _not_ my intention."

Ritsu averted her eyes and smiled in relief.

"It sounds much like you, Akashi-kun."

Her gaze fell on the music scores. Just skimming through the notes, a sprightly melody started playing in her head. Perfect to get rid of the heavy mood.

"Mind if I ask you something since you're there?"

"What is it?"

"Will you play piano for me?"

His eyes slightly widened in surprise. Guess he was expecting another question.

"You can play piano and violin, if I remember. It's a good occasion to hear you, I'm rather interested in the sound of your music. Besides, we won't be able to go home anytime soon."

Watching the rainy scenery, Akashi concluded the same.

"Have a title in mind?" He asked.

"Anything is fine. As long as you can make the rain stop."

His chuckle echoed sweetly in this room filled with the sound of rain. And then, music floated in the air.


	40. Crossroads

**Thank you for following this fic.**

**_Guest _: Hello there! Thank you for your review! I struggle everytime not to make them ooc (it's my greatest fear when writting), so to hear that reassures me, because some lines seems to come straight from shojo manga and well it does sound weird for some characters, I may have overdid it with Aomine (Sorry!). Concerning the beta-reader matter, don't worry, I'm not offended at all. I'm well-aware that the main problem of this fic is my english. There's so many grammatical mistakes and my syntax is so awful that it's depressing. I tried to fix them but when I did, I just realised how much the first chapters suck, and couldn't repress the desire to erase it all and rewrite (or abandon writing). At this rate, this story would never end, so I just gave up half-way and prefered to give an end to this fic before undergoing rewriting (I'm a bad author, I know). So yeah, if there is a kind and very courageous soul who wishes to undertake that long and laborious task of beta-reading this fic, I welcome him/her on board! It'll take a load off my mind. **

**_ArchangelKoriel_ : That's frank! The first chapters sure don't show the true colors of this fic and may be awfully off-putting for the lack of action. In my opinion, the story truly begins at the new term, and everything before that is just a very long prologue for Asaka's character. (almost forty chapters to get there, talk about a slow pace) So it touched me to know that at least, the developpment is well-written. Also, I'm so happy you read it to the end and came to like it. Thank you so much for reviewing!**

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"A joint practice with Kiyose?"

Kazehaya glanced at Ritsu. "This morning, we received a notice saying they accept a joint practice with us at the end of the week. It's about time we put to the test our new formation."

At the start of the new start, many changes were made in the volleyball club. As Hibari declared during the training camp, she left the captaincy to Kazehaya and remained in the club, though most of the third-years showed up less and less at practice. Only Hoshino, Hareki and Hibari came diligently to keep training the team, despite the fact that they surely wouldn't be playing in games anymore. Hoshino and Hibari were removed of the starting lineup, and their demotion led forward to a new team formation. With Yagami and her in its center.

"Our first match without Hibari-senpai and Hoshino-senpai." mused Ritsu.

"A new page is turning for the Teikō volleyball team. Yagami and you will be kept busy from now on as our leading offense. Quite the promotion for two freshmen in just half a year." Kazehaya praised without manifesting very apparent emotions.

Yagami and her have come a long way, indeed. In spring, they were merely freshmen with dreams and ambitions of joining the team. And now, they were regulars and first pillars of a new team. Ritsu wouldn't have believed it if he'd been told that in her first day at the club; perhaps in her second year, she would have thought it possible. But responsabilities had fallen upon them rather fast, and unexpectedly. To be honest, she had never set her ambitions that high in the first place. What she aspired to when she joined the club was, first, to enter the team and second, to be a setter. Whether she had an important place inside the team or not didn't matter to her as long as she could play in games.

And that must also explain why her track has deviated from the path she wished to walk on.

"However, Asaka, I have yet heard your feelings about this."

"My feelings about the new formation?"

Her senior pulled her a lock of hair behind her ear. "As much as I know, you've never been fond of attack-oriented role. Despite that, you played as an outside hitter along Hoshino-san, and now you're an opposite hitter while Yagami is a setter."

_Her feelings_...Ritsu came to understand where Kazehaya was trying to get to. Yagami and her had aimed for the same position since they joined the volleyball club. In the end, the setter position went to Yagami, while she had to close her eyes on her own ambitions. _For the team's sake_.

"Didn't you want to be a setter as well?"

"It's true that I didn't wish for things to be exactly like that."

"So I guess."

There were no point in denying it either. She had felt a bit bitter over it, nevertheless. She always had her eyes on the setter role. And knowing that she couldn't do it only shoved the harsh reality in her face. She didn't manage to go as far as Yagami. It was just like Hibari and Akashi said.

So if she was jealous of Yagami? She couldn't lie to herself, a part of her was envious of her. People acknowledged Yagami to be the best suited for that role, and despite her sentiment, she also agreed with them, in fact.

"But I'm fine with it." Ritsu assured with a simple smile. "I was sort of aware that it'd turn like this. Hibari-senpai already told me about this eventuality."

She remembered that conversation well.

«- _Does that mean you don't want to broaden your skills? Because I have other plans for you._

_\- What other plans?_

_\- Some where you won't be a setter._»

At that time, this was a shock for her. It was like she opens a door to face another one that won't ever open to her. She had become a regular yet she wouldn't be a setter. Only half of her aspirations would ever come true, so what would become of the other half?

That answer was given to her just recently.

"And what she asked me to do doesn't actually fit the role of a setter."

"What was it?"

"To be more stubborn and reckless."

That other half didn't become a reality, yet it wasn't the end of it. When she asked herself why she aimed to be a setter, the image of united team came to her mind, with herself as one of its links. This was her true desire : unite a team. For that, she didn't necessarily have to play the setter in the team. There were other ways to unite people under the same banner, and Hibari opened her eyes on that fact with those two words : stubborn and reckless.

"At first, I believe she told me that because I wasn't imposing myself enough and lacked in talent to be a setter. However, I realise very late what Hibari-senpai meant that day. I wasn't strong enough to meet our team's expectation, seeing as it was wrong of me to focus myself on what I lack instead of what I can do."

True, she had an habit of overthinking things and tried to find a logical reason to it at all costs. This in itself, was enough to show her that she didn't have the right mental to lead a team on the front line. Nevertheless, she couldn't stay in the shadow either, simply because she wasn't devoided of talent. And the best way to manifest it was through stubbornness and recklessness. In more beautiful terms, pride and determination.

"But now I know what I must do : Stand proud and determined. For the team's sake."

If she couldn't show that much, then she'd better give up. A team doesn't need members who can't progress and be the best. So she will hold on to her two aspiration which made her join the volleyball club : play in this team and unite it in her own way, setter or not.

"And well, I suppose these kind of _qualities_ fit the best my style and my volleyball skills. An opposite hitter who can't score or lose every of his fights will definetely break down the team."

Kazehaya cracked a smile, delighted by her answer.

"I see, you made your choice. A very good one."

Ritsu found it funny. "Even if you say so, you just wanted to hear my feelings. You never intended to make any changes if I had said otherwise."

"You're sharp." Her senior didn't refute. "The coach won't make great changes, even after our joint practice with Kiyose, but _that_ mainly concerns Yagami and you. We can't let ourselves be eaten so easily without Hibari-san and Hoshino-san, you both are the only ones who are skilled to fulfill their role and maintain the competitive level of our team."

So that was what Kazehaya wanted to confirm by hearing her feelings. Just like Hibari and Hoshino, a good chemistry was absolutely necessary to draw the best of each potential. Feelings like regret or jealousy would just hinder and lower the quality of their play.

"You think I'd try to fight for the setter role with Yagami?"

"I can't deny the possibility. Every so often things like this happen inside a team." Kazehaya replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "There always are gaps between people and conflicts arise from them, particulary inside a group."

"There's no way I'd do something so stupid and selfish as starting a fight with Yagami, it'd go against my values. Moreover, I have esteem for her as an athlete and I enjoy playing with her." Ritsu refuted.

Such an ill toward Yagami would not cross her mind. They were teammates.

"I believe so, too. That said, let me tell you one thing for your own good, Asaka."

The auburn-haired girl stopped in front of her and pierced her with a straight gaze.

"Inside the team, Yagami is not your friend, the same goes for your other teammates, me included. You may have acknowledged Yagami, but don't forget to keep your eyes forward and not at your back."

On the moment, no sound could come out of her mouth because of the confusion. Not a friend inside the team? She understood that teammates couldn't get along well the same way as close friends. But still, they remained teammates, so why did it sound otherwise in Kazehaya's mouth?

"What do you mean?"

"Just that you are too soft-hearted."

Before she could compose her thoughts, Kazehaya slid the door of the staff room open and said, "I've something to discuss with the coach. See you later."

Abandonned in such a way, Ritsu couldn't help but sigh. She failed to understand.

_Too soft-hearted...?_ What does it have to do with the way she plays?

She sighed a second time and tried to not let it get to her. The moment she decided to move from her spot, the door opened again. She stopped to let the person pass, and this person was none other than Kuroko. He walked out of the staff room without noticing her.

"Kuroko-kun."

The boy didn't turn around. Kuroko was completely lost in his thoughts, which reminded her a little of Akashi's behavior. Was the basketball club going through a crisis period to leave its members in such thoughtful state?

Ritsu ran up to his side and greeted him.

"Hello there, Kuroko-kun."

His eyes met hers.

"Asaka-san?...Hello."

His expression was just as flat as the time she met him with Aomine.

"You just ignored me, you know."

She meant to poke fun at him but he averted his eyes almost in a guilty way. Now, she was the one who felt bad for trying to make fun of him, it was like she did something wrong to him.

An awkward mood came to fill the air and that silence didn't help break the ice. It has been five days since their second encounter, and at that time they had barely spoken with each other. So in a way, she didn't know how to deal with him. His quiet personality was rather disconcerting in his case, while in general, those type of persons were the ones she liked the most to speak with. That said, she didn't mean it in a bad way. When she talked with him, she didn't feel indifference or annoyance, rather he gave her the impression of a friendly boy despite the appearance. By disconcerting, she was only speaking of his very plain attitude, she just couldn't read him.

Perhaps she should tried another time. As she took a close look at him, he didn't seem like he wanted to speak with anyone for now. In truth, he looked pretty down. Noticing that, she then glanced over her right shoulder the door from where he came out. The staff room.

"Something happened, Kuroko-kun? You don't look well." She asked, a bit concerned about his state.

He slightly raised his chin as he heard the question. His lips began to move, about to say something. However, his voice didn't raise.

Well, that's it. His silence was still a form of answer, and thus she had her confirmation. Nonetheless, this wasn't a matter for her to stick her nose in.

"...Ah, if you don't want to talk about it, I'm fine with it. Maybe you want to be left alone, so I'll be on my—"

"Asaka-san, can I ask you something?"

Ritsu stopped in her track and looked at him quizzically. "...Yes, I'm all ears."

"Have you thought of giving up on volleyball if you hadn't become a regular?"

She was taken aback by the question.

"Um...That's kind of difficult for me to say, now that I managed to become one." She looked away and tapped her chin with her fingers. "Maybe I would have given up at some point. For instance, if I don't show progress at all, it'd be hard to keep going knowing I'm getting nowhere, and look others progress well while I'm left behind. But well, I don't really know... "

Her voice lowered as she noticed he looked even gloomier than before. Have she said something wrong again? More seriously, given his reaction, Kuroko was bothered by something related to the basketball club.

"Kuroko-kun, that question..." She had a moment of hesitation. She might be mistaken, but he wouldn't ask something so serious on a whim, "Do you plan to give up on basketball?"

His lips compressed. "I think I will. I joined the basketball club in hope to get into the team but it doesn't seem that day would ever come."

"Your results aren't living up to your expectations?"

"Um," He nodded. "I don't think I'll be able to play in the first-string, or even in the second-string. Yesterday, I tried out for the second-string, but my level is still too low for a club like Teikō. In six months, I've barely made progress,. Even if I'm practicing hard everyday, I'm still nowhere near the level of a member of the first-string. I knew it'd be hard but I can't go on like that... It's somehow frustrating...!"

Kuroko was reaching his limits and let the heavy pressure of club crush his aspirations, as it seemed. Well, she couldn't blame him for that, the Teikō basketball club wasn't exactly the kind of club where hardwork and efforts would always be rewarded for everyone. Just that wasn't enough to raise a team at a national level. And those who got confronted to this reality only had the choice between give up or continue to work hard without any certainty that things would ever work well.

Put it like that, it sure was depressing. She may not be able to put herself in his shoes and find the right words to comfort him because of her own situation. She could only sympathize with his feelings. Nevertheless, even if she would not get a grasp of his whole feelings, she knew about her own. To hear someone gives up after putting his heart and soul to achieve was awfully sad. Not because she pitied them, but rather because they would turn all their efforts to naught.

And, she probably wouldn't be the only one who feel this way.

"Aomine-kun will be sad to lose his basketball partner."

Kuroko reacted to Aomine's name, as if he suddenly remembered him amidst his confusion.

"He looks up to you. Seems like your unwavering determination caught his eyes. Seeing you dedicate your whole self to basketball drives him to do his best more than a game with the best players of the first-string. I sort of understand why he feels this way around someone like you."

The teal-haired boy glanced at her.

"You work harder than anyone, Kuroko-kun. Rather than talent itself, I think people will always be more attracted by someone who never gives up and fights all the way despite their shortcomings."

As she said that, the image of Yagami practicing late followed in her mind. Yagami fitted that category of people too. Ritsu admired her for that and had so much fun playing with her. She would always run toward her dreams without stopping. How inspiring.

"The fact that Aomine-kun is sensitive to that proves that he really likes you."

"I got that feeling too." A faint smile tugged the teal-haired boy's lips. "He did say something like that."

"You did hear him the other day." Ritsu noted with a chuckle.

"Only the end." Kuroko replied softly, "But like him, I really want to hit the court with him. It's just...I don't really know how far I will be able to go on like this."

Ritsu had no answer for that. Apparently, he was giving it a lot thought, he must really hesitate, whether he should give up or not on basketball. That's how much he cared for basketball. He can't let it go that easily.

"Whatever your decide, you'd better tell Aomine-kun about your decision. I doubt he thinks that you're totally devoided of talent for basketball to have made you his practice partner."

"I will." He nodded in a vague manner, still unsure of what he'd do.

Although she wouldn't say selfish and naive things like something good is bound to happen to him and his dreams will be fulfilled if he keeps doing efforts, she wanted him to continue. Despite the lingering impression that his aspirations would remain unfulfilled, it was nothing more than anxiety. As long as he continues, he still has a chance to make things happen, and they sometimes are realized in a way completely different from what he imagined.

And, she didn't know how right she was.

That very same day, a door has been opened for Kuroko.

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**Short and boring chapter again. I'm in a slump. No, nothing very serious, I just finished watching "Yuri! on Ice", if you've already watched it, you might know what I'm talking about. That anime just cut me deep, and I wasn't expecting it to move my heart so much. From the characters to the ice-skating performances, it was so beautiful and soooo well-written and produced..! And, Katsuki Yuri's free skate program song...no words can describe it. I didn't feel this way since "Kuroko no basket" and "Naruto" ended. Ahah...But I'm going off topic, I just wanna say that the next update won't come very fast. **

**Until then. **


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